Substance Use & Addiction

In response to the increase in overdose deaths in the Victoria area, overdose prevention services have resumed at The Harbour at 941 Pandora Avenue.

To help save more lives and ensure people who use drugs alone have access to the supports they need, the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA), in partnership with regional health authorities and Lifeguard Digital Health, is launching a new made-in-B.C. resource called the Lifeguard App.

Island Health is urging people who use drugs to be safe when they use, and to use their local overdose prevention and supervised consumption services. In this dual public health emergency, the overdose crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, the risk of overdose (drug poisoning) has increased.

The pandemic has had a tremendous impact on our community, especially when we’re talking about a double public health emergency – the contaminated drug supply combined with the pandemic.

With the approval of Health Canada and Dr. Richard Stanwick, Chief Medical Health Officer for Island Health, effective immediately, The Harbour supervised consumption service will transition its operations

Cowichan Valley Overdose Prevention Service included in enhanced security approach in Cowichan Valley.

Island Health and the City of Campbell River have partnered to make it easier to dispose of needles safely, thanks to the installation of five sharps disposal boxes in the community.

Victoria – Exactly one month after it opened, the Pandora Avenue Supervised Consumption site has officially been named “The Harbour” – reflecting the service’s purpose to provide a safe place – or harbour – where people can use illegal drugs under supervision by trained health professionals and peer support workers.

Comox Valley - Clients needing longer term, residentially-based addictions treatment services can now access 11 intensive residential treatment beds at the Comox Valley Recovery Centre.

The repurposed beds – which provide longer stays and more intensive treatment – serve men living with opioid use disorder and other addictions. Clients will receive a higher level of care to support significant addiction challenges than was previously available on Vancouver Island. 

Vancouver Island - Island Health is urging everyone to be vigilant if they choose to consume substances at festivals this summer. Many substances (i.e. cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, Xanax and meth, etc.) have been contaminated by fentanyl or other toxic additives, increasing the possibility of a serious overdose. The safest way to prevent an overdose is to avoid substances completely.