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Emergency Departments

Three individuals seated outdoors in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, one smoking a substance, illustrating the public health and safety challenges linked to smokable drug use.
Policy

Rising Fires, Policy Clashes, and the Spread of Smokable Drugs

Smokable drug use is reshaping British Columbia’s overdose crisis, creating new risks for public safety and emergency response. As health officials push to expand ...
Pictured ambulance with first responders assisting on the streets of Downtown Eastside Vancouver
Healthcare

Frontline Challenges of the Canadian Overdose Crisis

Emergency Departments (EDs) are overwhelmed epicentres in the opioid crisis, serving as the immediate refuge for many individuals who use unregulated substances. Nurses, physicians, ...

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FEATURED

A sidewalk covered in fallen autumn leaves on East Hastings Street in Vancouver with an individual lying on the ground near local storefronts and passersby.

October 23, 2026

Community

The Downtown Eastside’s Right to an Ordinary Life

Kris C

Close-up of a section of Richard Tetrault's collaged mural featuring expressionist figures, newspaper clippings, and abstract street elements.

October 23, 2026

Culture

At Heart of the City, the Neighbourhood Keeps Its Own History

Teresa G

Elevated view looking down East Hastings Street in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside showing sidewalk crowds, traffic, and historic buildings.

October 22, 2026

Policy

Vancouver’s Drug Vote Demands an Answer

Kris C