Downtown Eastside community partners Culture Saves Lives and Western Aboriginal Harm Reduction Society (WAHRS) in collaboration with Canadian Association of People Who Use Drugs (CAPUD) will be hosting an event on August 31st, International Day for Overdose Awareness, to memorialize those lost to British Columbia’s overdose crisis.
According to the BC Coroners Service, between January 2016 and May 2017 there have been 1607 illicit drug overdose deaths in British Columbia. Despite the mass attention that this has attracted both from the public and the media, efforts have been unable to successfully reduce the number of overdose incidents, and people continue to die at alarming rates. In May of 2017 129 people died of suspected overdose; this equates to more than 4 people every single day.
It’s easy to talk about these numbers and lose site of the devastating human loss, and the effects that this loss has at a community level. This event will give a voice to those that have been affected by this crisis. The day will feature a commemorative art canvas and attendees will be encouraged to add the names of those lost, as well as artistic tributes, to the canvas using paints or markers provided by the organizers. The hope is that this canvas will make its way to Parliament Hill in Ottawa where it can tell a more personalized story of the overdose crisis in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. The day will also feature speakers from local organizations that support harm reduction, and will include those with lived experience and allies, as well as First Nations’ elders. Food will be provided by the organizers.
This event is one of several coordinated events being organized by CAPUD across Canada in honour of International Day for Overdose Awareness.