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B.C. Ends Drug Decriminalization Pilot, Shifts to Treatment Focus

Officials say the time-limited trial failed to meet its goals, prompting a pivot to treatment.

A drug user slumps in a back lane in Vancouver in a file photo from May 31, 2022. British Columbia decriminalized hard drugs for personal consumption on Jan. 31, 2023.
The pilot program was launched in 2023 to make it easier for people struggling with addiction to reach out for help without fear of being criminalized.
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B.C. Minister of Health Josie Osborne in a file photo in Burnaby, B.C., on Monday, June 10, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Overview

  • Health Minister Josie Osborne said the province will not seek renewal of the Health Canada exemption, with the three-year pilot set to expire on January 31, 2026.
  • The exemption had allowed adults to possess up to 2.5 grams of specified illicit drugs without arrest or police seizure, and it did not legalize the substances.
  • In May 2024, the government curtailed the policy by making public drug use illegal and limiting decriminalization to homes and overdose prevention sites.
  • The province says resources will move toward expanding voluntary and involuntary treatment options as its primary response to the toxic drug crisis.
  • Police leaders had withdrawn support for decriminalization citing public safety concerns, while B.C.’s Human Rights Commissioner argued the rollback reflected perception rather than evidence.