Guy Felicella headlines speakers at community dialogue in Nanaimo
Check out this podcast with Guy from Peoples First Radio https://vancouverislandmentalhealthsociety.org/podcast/guy-felicella-headlines-speakers-at-community-dialogue-in-nanaimo
Articles by oceansidecat
The first goal of drug overdoses policy: Keep people alive
From The Globe and Mail In late March, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer published his annual report to the province’s legislature. Its focus was drugs, from tobacco to opioids. One line in the report stood out: “When thousands of people are dying from preventable opioid overdoses each year, the system must […]
Nanaimo’s homeless population has grown according to report
From Chek News – Nanaimo’s homeless population has jumped according to a new publicly released report from last year. On April 27, 2023, the government-funded point-in-time count found that at least 515 people were without homes in Nanaimo. From the last count in 2020, it’s a jump of 18.9 per […]
Mom’s Stop The Harm Event Sunday April 14th
In commemoration of the 8th anniversary of the declaration of the Public Health Emergency of toxic drug poisonings, Mom’s Stop The Harm invites you to gather at Memorial Plaza on Sunday April 14th from 11:30 – 2:30 PM. Alberni Hwy & Memorial Avenue, Parksville BC Free Naloxone training and kits by OCAT […]
‘Hoping it’ll make a difference:’ Oceanside charity partners with room-rental site for home-share program
From Nanaimo News Now A group advocating for more housing options in Oceanside is teaming up with an online room rental site to get more people into affordable accommodations. The Society of Organized Services (SOS) was approached by the Canadian non-profit Happipad which connects renters to available local rooms, to […]
Police drug seizures do more harm than good, B.C. experts say
From Vancouver City News As police in B.C. and across Canada show off their recent drug busts and highlight efforts to take illicit substances off the black market, experts in public health and harm reduction explain these kinds of seizures do more harm than good. There’s a growing body of […]
OCAT Meeting March 19, 1pm
Our Featured Presentation this month is: Ron Merk, Chair of the Port Alberni CAT discussing their new document: Solving the Poisoned Drug Crisis in the Alberni Valley. Last month you were asking for more information on this report and planned next steps – here is your chance to hear more! We will then […]
No evidence of widespread diversion of BC’s safe supply, say RCMP and Solicitor General
From the Vancouver Sun Farnworth has spoken to the RCMP’s commanding officer about the seizure in Prince George and was told that the idea that there is widespread diversion is “simply not true.” There is no evidence of widespread diversion of safe-supply drugs, British Columbia’s solicitor general and the RCMP […]
BC’s Poisoned Drug Crisis – What You Need To Know
From the Port Alberni CAT The Grim Reality The poisoned drug crisis has reached epidemic proportions that claim lives daily. In Canada alone, an average of 22 people die each day from toxic street drugs. In BC, 2023 delivered more than 7 deaths a day. This year, In January another 198 […]
Black Balloon Day in Parksville remembers people lost to toxic drugs
From the PQB News Risebridge executive director says event first of its kind in Parksville area Kevin Forsyth Mar 7, 2024 Community members who have died due to the toxic drug crisis were remembered in Parksville on March 6, Black Balloon Day. Volunteers tied up black balloons, and set out […]