Update on provincial response to overdose crisis in B.C. – Province of BC

March 17, 2017

VICTORIA – Updated statistics released today from the BC Coroners Service show the number of illicit drug overdose deaths decreased slightly in February. Since the public-health emergency was declared in April 2016, government and its partners have enacted a wide range of measures to make an immediate difference and continue to build on longer-term strategies.

New items since the last provincial update on Feb. 17, 2017 include:

• The Province is providing approximately $13 million to health authorities to help ease financial pressures resulting from the actions taken to respond to the overdose crisis over the past year. This includes costs related to overdose prevention sites, preparing for additional supervised consumption services, enhanced surveillance, and expanding opioid substitution treatments.

Read More: https://archive.news.gov.bc.ca/releases/news_releases_2013-2017/2017HLTH0062-000681.htm