Unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) andsəlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations | VANCOUVER
It was with great disappointment that we learned of the Province’s decision to cancel the planned overdose prevention site slated for 900 Helmcken in Downtown Vancouver. Harm reduction services, including overdose prevention sites, save lives by offering compassionate, accessible health services to people who use substances, wherever they are on their healing journey.
This decision disproportionately impacts First Nations people who experienced a toxic drug poisoning death rate of 10.2x the rate of other Vancouver Coastal residents in 2025. Eighteen percent of toxic drug poisoning deaths in Vancouver Coastal in 2025 were First Nations people. Not only are First Nations people placed at higher risk due to this decision but Vancouver – City Centre Local Health Area (LHA) has one of the highest toxic drug poisoning death rates for all citizens in the Vancouver Coastal region, second only to the Vancouver – Centre North LHA that includes the Downtown Eastside.
When announcing this decision, Minister Kahlon stated that he wants to work with the City of Vancouver and partners “…to discuss how we can ensure this vulnerable population has the support they need and to create a plan to tackle this crisis together”. We intend to hold the Province accountable to this commitment. Concrete action and leadership are needed now to support people who use substances and their families.
FNHA stands ready to share what’s been working in many First Nations communities through harm reduction, healing services grounded in culture and the integration of western and traditional healing modalities. A range of services are needed to support people on their healing journeys and overdose prevention sites, that help keep people who use substances alive, are a critical part of this continuum. FNHA remains willing to engage in these sometimes challenging but necessary conversations with all of its partners, including the Ministry of Health, to strongly advocate for the health and safety of all First Nations people in BC.
Quotes:
“First Nations people in BC continue to be overrepresented within the toxic drug crisis public health emergency and each year provincially, we lose several hundred community members who were loved and valued. One life lost is too many. This is why reducing life-saving harm reduction services, including overdose prevention sites, is so discouraging from a public health perspective. Substance use disorder is a complex, chronic, relapsing condition that for some, having one episode of residential treatment, will not result in life-long abstinence. We need the entire spectrum of substance use care: prevention, harm reduction, detox, treatment, aftercare and ongoing recovery supports as well as substantive aid in the social determinants of health including housing.”
Dr. Nel Wieman, Chief Medical Officer, First Nations Health Authority
“We know that evidence-based approaches to tackling the toxic drug crisis make an impact on reducing some of the harms related to substance use disorders,” said Mariah Charleson, Chair of the FNHC. “Data from the work of this prevention site in Vancouver has shown good outcomes including lives saved. Decisions about essential health services need to be made based on facts and without political interference.”
Łučinłc̓uta (Mariah Charleson), Chair, First Nations Health Council
“The toxic drug crisis has detrimentally impacted virtually every First Nation in this province. As the crisis continues, our people are faced with not only addiction, but also with impacts which include grief and loss, suicide, family problems, child protection, and many others. These impacts spread throughout our communities in the province. We need more services. We need more supports. We need more safe spaces of healing. It is very frustrating to see such services being minimized when the toxic drug crisis continues to disproportionately impact First Nations people.”
Nauness, Janice George, President, First Nations Health Directors Association
Resources:
A Framework for Action: Responding to the Toxic Drug Crisis for First Nations
All Paths Lead to Wellness: Supporting People Who Use Substances
First Nations and The Toxic Drug Poisoning Crisis in BC: Vancouver Coastal – January – December 2025
