Category: Advocacy, Policy, Public Health

Webinars: Building Knowledge and Using Data for a Community-Based Response to Syphilis

Posted On: Monday, September 29th, 2025

  Wednesday October 22, 2025 Syphilis rates are increasing across Canada, and the impacts are being felt throughout communities in British Columbia. This two-part virtual event will provide both foundational knowledge and practical tools to help strengthen the community-based response. Webinar 1: Syphilis Essentials 10:00-11:30 AM Pacific time This webinar will provide a foundational overview of… Read more »

Substance Use News, September 2025

Posted On: Monday, September 29th, 2025

Substance Use News provides a monthly collection of news and resources on the social, medical and political responses to the toxic drug supply crisis and harm reduction. To get the latest toxic drug safety alerts, visit Info for People Who Use Substances page from Toward the Heart. Get weekly substance use news by subscribing to our newsletter: scroll… Read more »

Webinar: Canadian viral hepatitis elimination: Where are we now?

Posted On: Monday, September 29th, 2025

October 29, 2025 9:00-10:30 AM Pacific time CATIE will present this webinar in partnership with the Canadian Network on Hepatitis C (CanHepC) and the Public Health Agency of Canada. This webinar will highlight Canada’s viral hepatitis elimination progress and identify remaining gaps. Speakers will discuss successful implementation of strategies and future programming and policy directions… Read more »

Canada Must Show Leadership for Global Fund’s 8th Replenishment – Organizational Sign-on Letter

Posted On: Monday, September 22nd, 2025

Via HIV Legal Network PAN has signed on in support, and we encourage member groups to consider doing so. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis (TB) and Malaria (the Global Fund) has saved 70 million lives since 2002 and reduced death rates from these diseases by 63%. However, with several donor governments significantly reducing… Read more »

Funding Health, Advancing LGBTIQ Equality: Why the Global Fund Matters Now

Posted On: Wednesday, September 10th, 2025

The Stephen Lewis Foundation and the HIV Legal Network invite you to join them for an upcoming webinar about the importance of the Global Fund to LGBTIQ communities, organizations, and movements around the world. This fall Canada will be deciding how much it will pledge to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria… Read more »

Help Shape HPV Vaccine Experiences in BC

Posted On: Monday, September 8th, 2025

The Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Citizens’ Services are inviting individuals to take part in short, virtual research sessions (45-60 mins) as part of the HPV Immunization Project—an initiative supporting BC’s 10-Year Cancer Action Plan. Participants will share feedback on HPV vaccine information and services, helping improve how care is delivered across the… Read more »

Substance Use News, August 2025

Posted On: Monday, August 25th, 2025

Substance Use News provides a monthly collection of news and resources on the social, medical and political responses to the toxic drug supply crisis and harm reduction. To get the latest toxic drug safety alerts, visit Info for People Who Use Substances page from Toward the Heart. Get weekly substance use news by subscribing to our newsletter: scroll… Read more »

Asian Harm Reduction call for submissions

Posted On: Thursday, July 31st, 2025

Asians 4 safe supply (a4ss) is seeking submissions for a new community publication related to Chinese drug users and our history. This zine will be produced in English and Chinese to generate accessible  language, resources, and histories for Vancouver’s Chinatown and the Downtown Eastside. The proceeds generated from the sale of this publication will support… Read more »

Ribbon Roundtable: policy priorities for people living with HIV in BC

Posted On: Thursday, July 31st, 2025

Via Ribbon Community This past spring, Ribbon Community hosted two online opportunities for people living with HIV throughout the province to share perspectives on HIV policy, barriers to advocacy, and pathways for change. Over 45 people living with HIV participated, and generated 10 ideas of interest to folks across the province. On Wednesday, August 20,… Read more »

Substance Use News, July 2025

Posted On: Wednesday, July 30th, 2025

Substance Use News provides a monthly collection of news and resources on the social, medical and political responses to the toxic drug supply crisis and harm reduction. To get the latest toxic drug safety alerts, visit Info for People Who Use Substances page from Toward the Heart. Get weekly substance use news by subscribing to our newsletter: scroll… Read more »

National healthcare survey- please spread the word!

Posted On: Monday, July 21st, 2025

Dr. Sofia Bartlett and Nicola Gale from the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) are leading research that explores the challenges healthcare providers face in helping patients to access treatments and biomedical prevention for Sexually Transmitted and Blood-Borne Infections (STBBIs), including HIV, Hepatitis C, and syphilis. They are asking for community support in sharing the… Read more »

Debunking bad science and statistics with Doctors for Safer Drug Policy

Posted On: Thursday, July 10th, 2025

In March 2025, an article was published with open access in JAMA – looking at BC as a case study to examine safer opioid supply and decriminalization policies. Its summarized findings say “Using the synthetic difference-in-differences method, this cohort study found that the safer opioid policy was associated with a statistically significant increase in opioid… Read more »