Category: Advocacy, Policy, Public Health

Surveying the Community Response to Overdose

  As is sadly evident, the overdose crisis is still going strong. The Community Action Initiative (CAI) is looking for input from people working in community-based organizations that are responding to the overdose crisis. They have developed a short survey to gather information from community based organizations that are experiencing the impact of overdose.  … Read more »

Thoughts from BC Addiction Research Day

The Hurlburt auditorium at St. Paul’s Hospital was packed for BC Addiction Research Day on May 31. Familiar themes were present throughout the day: fentanyl’s hold on BC and stigma’s challenge in providing care. Dr. Mark Lysyshyn began with a keynote followed by oral and poster presentations throughout the day.   Fentanyl Changes the Curve… Read more »

PAN received this notice this morning through several channels  Dear Non-Profit Leaders: The City is actively seeking expressions of interest (EOI) for initiatives aimed at mitigating the effects of the overdose crisis across the City. Through community consultation and data monitoring, City staff have identified five priority needs for investment: 1. Innovative anti-stigma programs 2…. Read more »

Substance Use News: May

Bill C-37 Streamlines Application for Safe Injection Sites As PAN’s Executive Director Jennifer Evin Jones wrote last week, Bill C-37 on Safe Injection Sites has passed into law. This will simplify the process of opening safe injection sites; which “now requires 5 conditions be met in applying to open a SIS, rather than the 26… Read more »

Bill C-37 on Safe Injection Sites Becomes Law

Bill C-37, which outlines the steps necessary to open a supervised injection site (SIS) in Canada, was passed into law yesterday. The process now requires 5 conditions be met in applying to open a SIS, rather than the 26 required under the former Bill (C-2) governing the injection site application process. This new Bill removes… Read more »

Wednesday May 17 is the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia. It’s a worldwide day to celebrate diverse genders and sexualities and note the tensions between living proudly and living with the stigma that many LGBTQ people face. Its aim is “to draw the attention of policymakers, opinion leaders, social movements, the public and… Read more »

The Canadian Association of Nurses in AIDS Care (CANAC) wrapped up their conference this weekend in Regina. I would have loved to be there, as one of the features of the conference was a presentation by Irene Goldstone and Marilou Gagnon on how nurses have led the way on implementing harm reduction. CANAC makes a… Read more »

Tuesday May 30th, 10 AM PDST From the Community Based Research Centre for Gay Men’s Health Suicide is the ninth leading cause of death among Canadians, responsible for nearly 4000 deaths each year. While everyone is susceptible to the feelings of hopelessness and despair that precede suicide, gay and bisexual men are 4 times more likely… Read more »

Mental Health Week: Men’s Mental Health Summit

Strength in Unity is a community-based research project that aims to destigmatize mental illness among youth and men in Asian communities. The project has three study sites– one in Vancouver, one in Calgary, and one in Toronto. The hope is that reducing stigma will improve uptake of mental health services and community wellness. As part… Read more »