BC news
“Science lost to fear”: BC’s halted drug decriminalization program
February 16, 2026By: Olivia Sherman, Peak Associate In January 2026, the BC government announced their drug decriminalization policy “has not delivered the results we hoped for” and that the province would not seek renewal from the federal government. The three-year pilot program, an exemption to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA), began in 2023 and allowed adults over 18 to carry a cumulative 2.5 grams of illicit drugs, such as cocaine, methamphetamine, and opioids, without police confiscation or seizures. As drug deaths increased through the province, it was intended to treat substance use and addiction as a health issue and not…
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Saanich Council expands free transit for youth
June 17, 2024By: Hannah Fraser, News Writer On May 13, Saanich City Councillors voted in favour of a resolution to allow free transit for “young people up to, and including, the age of 18.” The resolution was brought forward by the Union…
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Advocates condemn BC’s decision to recriminalize substance use
June 12, 2024By: Hannah Fraser, News Writer Content warning: mentions of death and overdose, colonialism, and intergenerational trauma. The BC government received approval to recriminalize illicit substance use in public spaces, one and a half years into a decriminalization pilot. Advocates from…
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Independent Jewish Voices calls on BC government to reject IHRA definition of antisemitism
May 27, 2024By: Yashita Dhillon, News Writer and Olivia Sherman, News Editor Independent Jewish Voices Canada (IJV) is urging the BC government to reject the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of antisemitism in its updated anti-racism legislation. IJV is an organization…
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