Safe Supply and The Role of Community in Saving Lives and Changing Systems: A Call to Action


Presentation ends at 1:03 followed by questions and comments.

Keynote Session at AGM 2020

The overdose crisis continues to ravage our province, taking lives, devastating families and forever-changing communities. COVID-19 has only made the situation worse, greatly increasing the unnecessary loss of life and other harms. Now more than ever, there is a need for true safe supply to address this overdose emergency by providing people with genuine alternatives to the illicit drug supply. This topic is paramount for our members and the people they serve, and was a natural choice for our 2020 AGM keynote session.

We were honoured to have Guy Felicella be this year’s keynote presenter. Drawing from his lived experience, knowledge and expertise, Guy provided a historical and deeply personal perspective of harm reduction in BC, and a way for us to make sense not only of the current challenges but also the opportunities for change that this time affords us. Guy helped us understand and celebrate successes of advocacy, as well as how we can now work together to achieve true safe supply.

Guy Felicella spent 30 years in addiction, overdosing six times when the toxic drug supply hit the streets. Guy has become a respected and trusted expert, working as the Peer Clinical Advisor for the BC Centre on Substance Use.