HEALTH Minister Josie Osborne announced on Wednesday that the Province will be ending the pilot program to decriminalize people who use drugs because “despite the hard work and good intentions behind the pilot, it has not delivered the results we hoped for.”
Osborne said in a statement: “In 2023, we launched a pilot program to decriminalize people who use drugs. We did this with the support of advocates, service providers, police and members of the legislative assembly. The intention was clear: to make it easier for people struggling with addiction to reach out for help without fear of being criminalized. Despite the hard work and good intentions behind the pilot, it has not delivered the results we hoped for. For that reason, we will not be asking the federal government to renew the exemption.”
She added: “This does not mean the work ends here. We remain focused on strengthening the approaches that are helping people get timely, appropriate care. Our priority is, and always has been, to make sure people can get help when and where they need it. We continue to believe that addiction is a health issue, not a criminal justice issue.
“We are building a more complete and comprehensive system of mental-health and addictions care in B.C., including prevention, treatment and recovery, harm reduction and after-care. We have opened hundreds of new treatment and recovery beds, significantly reduced wait times for withdrawal management and prevented tens of thousands of overdose deaths through services such as Take Home Naloxone and overdose-prevention sites.
“At the same time, we are supporting police in focusing their efforts on the people who make and traffic toxic drugs and who bring violence, crime and suffering to our communities.
“People struggling with addiction are our friends, our family members and our neighbours. As the toxic-drug crisis continues to evolve, our response must evolve with it. We will continue learning, adapting and trying new approaches to turn the tide on this crisis and ensure people can get the care they need without fear, stigma or judgment.”
Dwayne McDonald, deputy commissioner and commanding officer, BC RCMP, said: “The BC RCMP acknowledges that substance use is a health issue. With the end of the exemption, police officers can fully enforce and focus on the most serious offences within the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Police will continue to apply a measured approach to our enforcement efforts, while upholding the safety and security of the communities we live and serve in. We also remain committed to working with our partners to find solutions that ensure those with mental-health and addiction issues receive immediate and ongoing assistance.”
Learn More:
* To find mental-health and substance-use supports in your area, visit: https://helpstartshere.gov.bc.
* To find same-day care for opioid addiction, visit: https://helpstartshere.gov.bc.
* To learn about mental-health and substance-use supports in B.C., visit: https://gov.bc.ca/BetterCare
BACKGROUNDER
What to know about mental-health and addictions care in B.C.
Since 2017, government has built a comprehensive system of mental-health and addictions care across the full continuum.
When the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions was established in 2017, government targeted investments of $60 million toward mental-health and addictions services.
Since then, targeted provincial mental-health and addictions investment has grown significantly, representing more than $550 million in 2025-26. As noted in Budget 2025, government provided more than $500 million over the fiscal plan to support and sustain addictions treatment and recovery programs established through previous budgets.
A priority has been to build up a mental-health and addictions system of care that works for everyone. This includes:
* opening more than 760 new beds that support people with addictions since 2017, for a total of 3,748 publicly funded adult and youth substance-use beds in health authorities throughout the province
* implementing life-saving services to reduce risk of harm, including Take Home Naloxone, observed consumption sites and opioid agonist treatment, which have prevented more than 54,000 toxic-drug deaths
* bringing down wait times for withdrawal services from 26 days down to around eight days
* opening Foundry centres throughout the province to deliver mental-health, substance-use and health-care services to young people, with 19 Foundry centres open and 16 more on the way
* launching Integrated Child and Youth teams in school district communities throughout the province to deliver wraparound mental-health and substance-use services and supports for children and youth up to 19
* opening involuntary care beds throughout the province, including Surrey Pretrial Services Centres, Alouette Homes and more spaces opening in Surrey and Prince George
