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e-7681 (Health)
- Keywords
- Canada Health Transfer
- Drug treatment centres
- Health services accessibility
- Vancouver Island
E-petition
Initiated by Sarah Davidge from Shawnigan Lake, British Columbia
Original language of petition: English
Petition to the Government of Canada
Whereas:
- Island Health recorded 343 toxic-drug deaths in 2025, with Central Vancouver Island among the hardest-hit regions in the province;
- Cowichan Valley experienced as many as 80 toxic-drug overdoses in a single 24-hour period on November 18–19, 2025, overwhelming local shelters and first responders;
- The Province of British Columbia has approved two new involuntary-care treatment facilities, in Surrey and Prince George, while rejecting a proposal to repurpose the soon-to-be-vacant Cowichan District Hospital for the same purpose; and
- The current renewal of the Canada–British Columbia bilateral health agreement, and the expansion of the federal Emergency Treatment Fund, offer the Government of Canada a timely opportunity to direct funding toward a Vancouver Island facility.
We, the undersigned, residents and citizens of Canada,, call upon the Government of Canada to:
1. Dedicate a Vancouver Island treatment-and-recovery funding envelope within the renewed bilateral health agreement, including funding for secure, involuntary care;
2. Prioritize Vancouver Island within the expanded Emergency Treatment Fund; and
3. Cost-share, with the Province of British Columbia, the capital and operating costs of a regional treatment and recovery facility on Vancouver Island.
- Open for signature
- August 18, 2026, at 9:33 a.m. (EDT)
- Closed for signature
- September 17, 2026, at 9:33 a.m. (EDT)
