B.C. ends drug decriminalization pilot and opposition parties respond

B.C. announced it will not seek renewal of its three-year drug decriminalization pilot, which began in January 2023, and the province said the trial did not deliver the expected results. Opposition parties and members of the public reacted with differing critiques.

B.C. announced it will not continue its three-year drug decriminalization pilot and the provincial government said it will not ask the federal government to renew the exemption. Health Minister Josie Osborne said the pilot "hasn't delivered the results that we had hoped for." The pilot began on Jan. 31, 2023 under a federal exemption and is set to finish at the end of this month. The announcement prompted immediate reactions from opposition parties and members of the public. Key facts: - The Health Minister announced the province will not seek a renewal after a three-year pilot and said the project did not meet expected results. - The pilot began Jan. 31, 2023 under a federal exemption and is due to end at the end of this month. - Opposition responses differed: the B.C. Conservatives linked the policy to public-safety concerns, while the B.C. Greens said implementation and public education were insufficient. - Public comments reported in media and online reflected concerns about public drug use and framed the issue as a health matter. Summary: The province has decided not to pursue a federal extension and the pilot will conclude at the end of the month. Political and public reactions were immediate and varied, with different parties offering competing explanations for the pilot's outcomes. Undetermined at this time.