The Homalco First Nation has declared a state of emergency in response to the escalating opioid crisis in the community and has activated an Emergency Operations Team.
Homalco authorities declared a state of emergency on March 10 after four young people died due to toxic drugs in the last six months.
鈥淲e are calling on the provincial government to immediately engage with Homalco, and all other First Nation communities who have declared a state of emergency on Vancouver Island, in a government-to-government process to come up with immediate solutions and long-term plans,鈥� Chief Darren Blaney said in a statement.
鈥淥ur voices are stronger together, and we cannot fight these issues alone. We need to support one another, now more than ever.鈥�
The Homalco First Nation, along with the Gwa'sala Nakwaxda'xw, and the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council's 14 member nations, have called on the federal and provincial governments and the First Nations Health Authority to take urgent action and provide immediate resources to address the crisis.
"The toxic drug epidemic is not just a Homalco issue鈥攊t is a direct consequence of colonial policies that fractured families, suppressed culture, and left lasting scars on Indigenous people," reads a press release from the Nation issued on March 11. "This crisis is a direct result of the aftermath of residential schools and the lasting generational trauma that continues to devastate Indigenous communities."
The Gwa'sala Nakwaxda'xw declared a state of emergency in February of 2024. The member nations of the Nuu-Chah-nulth Tribal Council declared a state of emergency in September of September of 2024.
A community meeting will be at the Homalco Hall on March 14 to discuss the current situation, share information, and develop strategies to combat the crisis. It will be from 5 to 7 p.m. and is only open to community members. The meeting will also include an open forum where community members can ask Chief Darren Blaney and the council questions about the crisis.
"This is an opportunity for you to voice your concerns, share experiences, and contribute to the dialogue on how we can support one another during this challenging time," reads a community release from the meeting.
British Columbia as a whole has been fighting an opioid drug crisis. In April 2016, the province declared its first-ever public health emergency after an unprecedented increase in overdose-related deaths. In 2017, the BC Coroners Service reported that at least 1,486 people died from suspected illicit drug overdoes. The trend continued in 2018, with 1,380 dead in the first 11 months of the year, becoming the leading cause of unnatural deaths in the province.
In 2023, the BC Coroners Service said that unregulated drugs took the lives of 2,511 people. The service reported a "significant decline" in drug-related deaths in 2024, with only 1,925 deaths in the first months of 2024. However, the Campbell River area still has one of the highest rates of unregulated drug deaths, with 109.1 deaths per 100,000 people in 2024. Fentanyl was related to 78 per cent of the deaths.
According to the First Nations Authority, First Nations people have died from toxic drugs at 6.7 times the rate of other B.C. residents from January to June 2024. Additionally, First Nation females die at 11 times the rate of other females in the province. For men, it is 5.3 times the rate of non-Indigenous males. Between January and June 2024, 130 First Nations males have died, while 92 females have died in British Columbia.
The meeting on March 14 is not open to the general public.
