Tag Archives: Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions

Health

BC Halts Construction of Seven Long-Term Care Facilities

By Michelle Gamage, The Tyee, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

British Columbia is pausing construction on seven long-term care facilities as it searches for a way to reduce building costs.

The pause was announced as B.C. released its annual budget on Tuesday. During question period on Wednesday, Health Minister Josie Osborne said construction was being stopped while the province searched for ways to build the beds for less than $1.8 million each, which is what it currently costs. 

Seven long-term care facilities in Abbotsford, Campbell River, Chilliwack, Delta, Fort St. John, Kelowna and Squamish have been put on hold indefinitely. Osborne said the projects are not cancelled. 

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Health

BC’s Opioid Lawsuit Win No Cause for Celebration, Say Advocates

By Moira Wyton, The Tyee, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A British Columbia-led lawsuit against more than 40 pharmaceutical companies has resulted in a proposed $150-million settlement with Purdue  Pharma Canada for health-care costs related to the company’s marketing  of opioid pain medications.

But advocates say the  lawsuit is also an exercise in distracting the public from the  government’s failure to make changes — including introducing safe supply  — that would have saved thousands of lives lost to toxic drugs.

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Health

BC expanding safe supply to check overdose deaths

National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The B.C. government is expanding access to safe supply to provide more pharmaceutical alternatives to people who use drugs to curb skyrocketing deaths due to the toxic street supply.

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Health

Specialized support needed to protect young people from illicit drug overdoses

Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

As the death toll from illicit drug overdoses continues to mount unabated in B.C., advocates want more specialized services and harm reduction measures to help protect young people.

Continue reading Specialized support needed to protect young people from illicit drug overdoses →