Decriminalization ends in B.C., activist says she is greatly disappointed

An advocate who helped shape B.C.'s drug decriminalization pilot said she is greatly disappointed after the province announced it will not seek a federal exemption to continue the three-year pilot, which is slated to end Jan. 31.

British Columbia announced it will not seek a federal exemption to continue its three-year drug decriminalization pilot, which is due to end Jan. 31. The pilot began in January 2023 after Health Canada granted an exemption. Leslie McBain, co-founder of Moms Stop The Harm and an advocate involved in the pilot's design, said she was "greatly disappointed" and cited data she says showed decreases in deaths and other harms. Provincial officials, including Osborne, said the pilot "hasn't delivered the results" they hoped for and said the government will focus on strengthening treatment approaches. Key points: - The province decided not to apply for a federal exemption to extend the decriminalization pilot. - The pilot began in January 2023 with a Health Canada exemption that initially allowed adults to possess up to 2.5 grams cumulatively of certain drugs. - In 2024 the exemption was amended to limit possession to private homes, legally sanctioned shelters, and designated health-care or supervised consumption sites. - B.C. Coroners Service reported about a 23 per cent decline in toxic drug deaths up to Oct. 31, 2025, compared with the same period the previous year. - Advocate Leslie McBain said the program showed reductions in deaths, arrests, seizures and ambulance calls and that she had hoped the policy would be revised rather than ended. Summary: The province will allow the three-year decriminalization pilot to end on Jan. 31 and has signalled a shift toward strengthening treatment and access to care. Advocates disagree with the government's assessment of the pilot's outcomes and had sought revisions rather than termination.