Police should not stand in the way of life-saving harm reduction initiatives

Data reveals that increased policing has done nothing to end the overdose crisis and stop the loss of life.

Life-saving services should be supported by government: Our statement to the City of Ottawa and Queen's Park

Drug sniffing dogs in apartment buildings will further marginalize vulnerable people.

Bill C-37 is a step in the right direction but does not go far enough in ensuring the safety of individuals who use drugs. Our recommendations are meant to allow for easier access to life-saving harm reduction services by removing some of the logistical barriers for service providers hoping to save lives.

The RCMP could be playing a role in the prevalence of fatal overdoses by arresting people at the scene of 911 calls.

Pivot Legal Society, BC Civil Liberties Association, West Coast LEAF, and Community Legal Assistance Society have joined forced to urge the government to enact significant legal and policy reform in favour of marginalized, racialized, and Indigenous communities across British Columbia.

Harm reduction advocates opened Toronto's first "pop-up" safe injection site at Moss Park over the weekend. It was a courageous and compassionate move that will save countless lives in the context of a public health emergency.

The Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act became Canadian law in May 2017 to encourage people to call 911 in the event of an overdose without fear of charge or arrest.1 The Act provides some legal protections for individuals who are at the scene of an overdose when police arrive—whether they are the caller, the person needing medical attention, or another person at the scene. The Act does not provide blanket immunity against all charges.

The Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act became Canadian law in May 2017 to encourage people to call 911 in the event of an overdose without fear of charge or arrest.1 The Act provides some legal protections for individuals who are at the scene of an overdose when police arrive—whether they are the caller, the person needing medical attention, or another person at the scene. The Act does not provide blanket immunity against all charges.