With the Oct. 19 provincial election approaching fast, Black Press Media reached out to all three major political parties in the running: the B.C. New Democratic Party, the Conservative Party of B.C. and the B.C. Green Party, about a variety of issues affecting British Columbians, including the toxic drug crisis.

Unregulated drug toxicity is the leading cause of death in British Columbia for persons aged 10 to 59 – accounting for more deaths than homicides, suicides, accidents and natural disease combined. Toxic, unregulated drugs – driven primarily by unregulated fentanyl – claimed the lives of at least 2,511 people in British Columbia in 2023. That amounts to nearly seven people per day – the largest number of drug-related deaths ever reported to the B.C. Coroners Service.

Representatives from all major parties agreed it is a serious issue that needs to be addressed.

So what does each party plan to do about it, if elected?

Health issue vs. crime issue

Baltej Singh Dhillon, the Surrey-Serpentine River NDP candidate and a retired RCMP officer, said the toxic drug crisis is, and has been, an important issue for the B.C. NDP.

"This is a health issue, it’s not a crime issue. This is not a criminal matter, but a health matter, and to that end we’re ... bringing about more treatment centres," he said. "We’ve put in 650 treatment (beds) already, and we’re going to put in more treatment centres."

Treatment centres are places where people who are struggling with drug addiction "can get assessed. ... They can get some medication – safe drugs, so they can have a trajectory to getting better and being able to contribute back into society," he said.

"We do not want to get to a place where we’re cancelling safe consumption sites." 

Last month, the Green Party of B.C. introduced an "evidence-based" plan backed by the province's former chief coroner to expand access to safer, regulated pharmaceutical alternatives by broadening safer supply programs and demedicalizing the development process for access models.

"Our approach is rooted in the belief that government should focus on saving lives – not dehumanizing people who use drugs," a party release attributed to Green B.C. leader Sonia Furstenau states, adding that expanding access to regulated alternatives will "keep people alive and help them reduce dependence on the toxic illicit drug supply."

Elenore Sturko, Conservative Party of B.C. candidate for Surrey-Cloverdale, agreed the matter is a health issue.

"I think is that it’s a health issue, but there are ways in which we can use our justice system to assist people. We want to introduce compassionate intervention legislation – we don’t have the exact details worked out yet. The concept is that we would have a panel of commissioners â€“ people who are experts in addiction, psychiatrists, people with experience, to make an evaluation and determination about what kind of intervention might be appropriate for that person," she said.

She disagrees that there is such a thing as a safe supply of drugs, however.

"There are no safe drugs. Even prescriptions, if misused, can kill you," she noted.

What needs to change?

Sturko said there has been lack of education about drug use, and that a multi-pillar system needs to be put in place.

"The prevention pillar is an area where I’m concerned. This is a government that, for the most part, has not educated people that all drugs are dangerous, including their so-called safe supply, and we need to get back to being a province that proactively interacts with people – particularly with a focus on young people and young adults – to let them know the dangers of drug use in British Columbia," Sturko said. 

"There are always going to be (measures for reducing harm), so that’s always going to be part of the approach. But our focus (is) a continuum that will help people forward into to recovery."

Current harm reduction services, such as delivery service or vending machines, often have no conduit to human contact, "where a person could have a discussion or offer services. ... It takes that human interaction out of it," said Sturko. "For our point of view, that human connection is so fundamental. (Experts) often say the opposite of addiction is connection, and when we remove those connections, we really are missing out on opportunity to move that person towards the next step."

Furstenau's release said that, in addition to expanding safe supply, her party would create evidence-based standards for treatment and recovery services, "ensuring that everyone seeking help gets the highest level of care and support."

The Greens would also focus on educating the public about the dangers of drug use, to "improve mental health and education programs in schools, so that young people are getting the help they need and reliable information and knowledge."

Dhillon said there are two parts to the issue.

"We need to bring about a caring, kind, compassionate path forward, which is the treatment centres, which is following the advice of medical practitioners and medical experts like the NDP is doing," he said, adding that the Conservatives "want to cut treatment centres."

"But on the criminal side – this is the government that is putting 250 more police officers on the streets. We have a homicide gang conflict team that’s newly minted, and we have also put in place 'unexplained wealth' measures, so that when people benefit and profit off of the opioid crisis and drug sales, we can take them to court and hold them accountable, and then take it away from them if they can’t explain it," said Dhillon.

If elected: Addressing the crisis

Moving forward, Dhillon said treatment is a main focus.

"The work here is about treatment. We need to bring about treatment centres, and we need to get folks help they need. Also we need to make sure they get to the treatment centres, and help them stay alive so they have a chance at recovery," he said.

"Then we also have to fight those bringing in the toxic drug supply – i.e. organized crime gangs – and make it absolutely impossible for them to operate in British Columbia. I’m looking for a brighter future. ... I think we can win this war."

He said the NDP doesn't vilify people who are struggling with addiction, while Conservative leader John Rustad is "continuing to vilify these folks."

"These are victims not villains. At the end of the day, this is about our neighbours, this is about family. Every one of those folks that is struggling with this addiction is somebody’s brother, sister, cousin, father, or uncle," Dhillon said.

Sturko pointed out NDP leader David Eby announced 10 beds at Surrey Pretrial Service Centre.

"I think that ... sends a message about putting people with addictions into jail, and that’s not what we want. We want to build up treatment in British Columbia and concurrently develop an entire system that will deal with sort of those limited circumstances where an intervention is necessary in order to have saved someone’s life," she said. 

Sturko emphasized that education is key.

"We don’t want to shame people, but I think that there is a vast difference between shame and stigmatizing, and warning people about the dangers of drug use. We need to get back on track with educating the public about the risks."

People can't buy cigarettes without being reminded of their health risks. And during the COVID-19 pandemic, there were signs and posters everywhere educating the public about social distancing, covering their coughs and washing their hands, she noted.

"We come from a province that would hide cigarettes behind a curtain to one that would tell you that drugs are safe and would even suggest selling them without a prescription in a retail setting, ignoring the evidence that when you increase the availability and access to drugs, you increase their usage. This is extremely concerning for me," said Sturko.

The goal is for people to have access to voluntary treatment, of course, she continued, and it doesn't have to involve criminality or involuntary care.

"Compassionate legislation is primarily focused on drug use that is creating danger to self or others, so it’s unique. Our intention is to make help for medical issues such as mental illness and addiction in our criminal justice system, in the correctional service."

Furstenau highlighted the focus on evidence-based harm reduction and education in her party's statement.

"We also recognize that this crisis isn’t just about addiction. Occasional and recreational users are dying too, caught in the trap of an increasingly toxic and unpredictable drug supply," she said.

"Our plan focuses on comprehensive harm reduction, addressing the root causes of this crisis with compassion and real solutions. This is about saving lives —and we have the solutions to do it."

Dhillon said addiction is usually a day-to-day struggle for those affected.

"Folks need to be alive to get treatment. Our job, our duty, our responsibility to families and folks that are struggling is to make sure they get to treatment centre alive," he said. 

"(If elected) I’m going to help build on the policies that are already in place. I chose the B.C. NDP after reviewing those policies. I like what the B.C. NDP is doing, and I’m hearing on the doorstep people like what the NDP is doing. This is not an overnight thing – we will have to continue to work at it, we need to put more money into it. ... That’s only going to happen when we come at it from multi-fronts."

Sturko said it's time for something different.

"We believe it’s time to change direction. We all have the same goal: ending this crisis. It’s also a humanitarian crisis, and at the end of the day, it is about saving lives.

– Note: Although Black Press Media reached out to all three parties multiple times for phone interviews, the B.C. Green Party was unavailable for any of the interview times suggested.