Yúustway
Health & Wellness

Toxic Drug Crisis

Our Approach to the Toxic Drug Crisis

The Nation views the toxic drug crisis as a complex community health issue with significant impacts on community safety. This has resulted in Nexwsxwníw̓ntm ta Úxwumixw (Council) declaring a community-wide health state of emergency, which will support immediate and long-term actions to address the crisis in a comprehensive and culturally appropriate way.

To learn about resources and next steps click on the titles below to expand:

Harm reduction and safe use supplies are available in three locations:

  • Yúustway Health & Wellness Office (Unit 9A, 380 Welch Street, West Vancouver, BC, V7P 0A7)
  • Healthy Hub – Squamish Valley (1221 Chief Billy Drive, Squamish BC)
  • S7ilhen Food Pantry (100 B Capilano Road, West Vancouver, BC V7P 3PG)

Weekly Warriors Circle Men’s Group
Call: 604-982-7816 or email wellness@squamish.net.

Weekly Women’s Circle Group
Call: 604-982-7816 or email wellness@squamish.net

Get Your Drugs Tested
Call: 778-819-0922 or visit getyourdrugstested.com

Weekly Drug Checking Services (Every Monday | Squamish Valley | Wednesday and Friday | North Shore |)
Call: 604-982-7816 or email wellness@squamish.net

Monthly Naloxone training (first Wednesday every month)
Call: 604-982-7816 or email wellness@squamish.net

Support with getting into treatment and detox facilities

Find details about these and other harm reduction education events in community on our Workshops and Recurring Programs page.

First Nations Virtual Substance Use & Psychiatry Service
Referral-based service (via FNHA doctor) Call 1-833-456-7655 or email fnvsups@fnha.ca

Mon-Fri Substance Use & Addictions: 9:30 am – 5 pm Psychiatry: 9:30 am – 3 pm

CRCL: Crisis Response Community Led (North Shore)
CRCL is a mobile, community-led crisis response team that provides support to people experiencing a mental health crisis through the Canadian Mental Health Associate.
Service hours: 7 days a week, 8:00 am – 12:30 am
Call: 1 (888) 261-7228 | Text: (778) 839-1831

Opioid Treatment Access Line
Call 1-833-804 8111 7 days a week 9 am – 4 pm

Talk4Healing
Free & culturally safe help line for Indigenous women based in northern Ontario, but accessible across Canada.
Call 1-855-554-HEAL (4325)

NORS (National Overdose Response Service)
Call or Text: 1-888-688-NORS (6677)
Email: weloveyou@nors.ca 24/7

Squamish Overdose Prevention Site
Call 604-849-1991
7 days a week 12 pm – 10 pm
37930 3rd Avenue, Squamish BC

Under One Roof in Squamish
Call 604-390-3000 24 hrs
37871 3rd Avenue, Squamish BC

Detox Call
1-866-658-1221
7 days a week 9 am – 7:45 pm

Car 22 Team
Can be dispatched by calling 9-1-1 or the local police non-emergency line.
Car 99 (Nurse/RCMP) SV – M-Th, 7am-4pm, 604 892 6100 Car 22 (Nurse/RCMP) NS – M-Th, 7am-4pm, 604 892 6100

Our plan is to increase community access (both on- and off-reserve) to:

  • Safe consumption (harm reduction) strategies, including a new harm reduction vending machine and community cupboard
  • Drug checking sites & community education
  • Distributing safe use supplies & naloxone training
  • Supervised drug consumption site(s)
  • Primary care providers (family physicians and nurse practitioners)
  • Mobile outreach & overdose prevention unit
  • Detox and addictions treatment (counselling, medication (e.g., OAT)
  • Mental health and substance use disorder supports (sobriety and relapse prevention)
  • Culturally appropriate temporary emergency housing options
  • Further training for the Community Safety Team
  • Additional social programs as required

Learn more

Nation Updates

Approval given for Second Floatel in Squamish

Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw Council approved the second floatel following a review process under the Squamish National Environmental Assessment Agreement (SNEAA) -- the first Indigenous-led environmental assessment of its kind.

Unveiling the Squamish Valley Community Plan

We are unveiling The Valley’s Plan next month, a first of its kind in the Squamish Valley. It gathers all plans (past, present, future) and clearly explains what we would like to accomplish in the Squamish Valley over the next 10 years. 

Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw Constitution Project Update

During the past two years, we’ve collected input from our community-- at events, family dinners, and through online surveys -- about what should be in our Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw Constitution.

View More Updates