'Significant deficiencies' found in B.C.’s harm reduction programs
The Auditor General concluded that the ministries 'did not ensure effective province-wide implementation of overdose prevention and supervised consumption services by the health authorities.'
British Columbia's drug-enabling approach to its spiraling drug crisis received another blow this week after the province's Auditor General, Michael Pickup, announced that the province failed to "effectively implement" two of its harm reduction programs.
Dr. Bonnie Henry says continuing to give out heroin as part of taxpayer-funded 'safer supply' programs is "an important part of the spectrum of medical care" for vulnerable people in British Columbia.https://t.co/ibhmxbVToV pic.twitter.com/kyVBkxw7Vl
— Drea Humphrey - Prepping and Politics (@DreaHumphrey) February 6, 2024
On Tuesday, the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) released a report detailing their findings from two audits which probed into the implementation of BC's overdose prevention and supervised consumption services, and the initial phase of the safer-supply program.
"In both audits, we found significant deficiencies,” Pickup stated in a video posted to the OAG's X account (formerly known as Twitter). “Therefore, we concluded that the ministries had not ensured effective implementation of these life-saving programs that are such an integral part of the ministry's response to the toxic drug crisis,” he added.
Another BC harm reduction fail.
— Drea Humphrey - Prepping and Politics (@DreaHumphrey) March 20, 2024
The auditor general found significant deficiencies in the ministry’s implementation of the policy.
More to come at https://t.co/Gi9Wj4L06E pic.twitter.com/UQlyMoDWjW
While the report acknowledges that the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions and the Ministry of Health did meet some of the OAG's criteria, including monitoring operational performance and funding, the audit found the ministries failed in key areas of assessment. This included failures in addressing "persistent challenges and barriers to province-wide implementation" of the safer-supply drug program and achieving the "minimum service standards" and proper "engagement with health authorities, people with lived and living experience, and Indigenous Peoples."
Pickup called the findings "unfortunate" and said the OAG has made seven recommendations for improvement, all of which the office's website says the ministries have agreed to implementing.
Dr. Bonnie Henry is still backing BC’s “safe supply” experiment despite part of that supply ending up being used by kids.
— Drea Humphrey - Prepping and Politics (@DreaHumphrey) February 2, 2024
The number one cause of death for a 10yr old in BC is a drug overdose.
*stat from Sept 2023 pic.twitter.com/9FNwDMPtsV
In January 2023, British Columbia decriminalized toxic drug use, permitting citizens to possess up to 2.5 grams of illicit substances without legal consequence.
Earlier this month, RCMP confirmed that hard drugs being obtained through the province's "safer-supply" program are being sold illegally by drug dealers and sometimes being diverted into the hands of children.
Despite the province's "harm reduction" approach, British Columbians endured a record-high overdose death toll of 2,511 people in 2023, according to the BC Coroner’s office.
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