On the heels of a record breaking year of toxic drug deaths, the province has announced 180 new publicly funded treatment and recovery beds.
On Wednesday, the BC Coroners Service revealed that there were 2,511 deaths linked to illicit drugs in 2023, which brings the total number of people who have died due to toxic drugs since April 2016 close to 14,000.
The province says that nearly 100 of those beds – including in Kelowna, Penticton and Vernon – are open in several communities and the remaining beds are expected to launch this summer.
Premier David Eby said this the expansion nearly doubles the province’s Budget 2023 commitment to open 100 publicly funded beds in BC.
“This expansion nearly doubles the number of publicly funded treatment and recovery beds that we committed to,” Premier Eby said on Thursday.
A release says 97 beds were previously private and switched to publicly funded ones to speed up the process.
Services offered will include counselling services, medication management and live-in facilities to support clients throughout their recovery journey.
Jennifer Whiteside, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions says the expansion of treatment beds will provide lifesaving care to more people who are ready to enter recovery.
“When people take the courageous step to reach out for help, they need to be met with the right care at the right time, close to home,” said Whiteside.
A provincial investment of $73 million over three years is funding these beds, and extends the operations of 105 existing CHMA-administered beds to the end of 2027.
There are now 3,596 publicly funded adult and youth substance-use treatment beds, including the 97 new Canadian Mental Health Association - BC Division (CMHA-BC) beds in operation.
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