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7mo ago

B.C. First Nations Declare State of Emergency Over Opioid Crisis

The Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council calls for government support as drug-related deaths surge among Indigenous communities.

Judith Sayers, president of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council, speaks in Vancouver on Feb. 7, 2023. The council is declaring a state of emergency over the toxic drug crisis in B.C.
British Columbia's provincial flag flies on a flag pole in Ottawa, Friday July 3, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Judith Sayers

Overview

  • The Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council represents 14 First Nations on Vancouver Island and is facing a severe opioid and mental health crisis.
  • Indigenous people in B.C. are dying from drug poisonings at more than six times the rate of other residents, according to the First Nations Health Authority.
  • The council is urging provincial and federal governments to fund detox and rehabilitation centers and support overwhelmed community workers.
  • Chief Councillor Ken Watts emphasizes the need for political candidates to address this crisis in the upcoming provincial election.
  • B.C. Premier David Eby has pledged additional support for Indigenous communities, acknowledging the significant impact of the drug crisis.