Challenge & Opportunity: Harm reduction sites, such as Supervised Consumption Sites and Overdose Prevention Sites (SCS/OPS), have proliferated in response to BCs ongoing public health emergency. While many SCS/OPS monitor key metrics (e.g., utilization, adverse outcomes), there is a need to comprehensively demonstrate and quantify the full impact these life-saving services have on communities. This research gap limits evidence-based policymaking and may hinder ongoing, sustainable funding amid growing criticism and scrutiny of these services. This initiative aims to initiate a collaborative research network to identify systemic knowledge gaps and build a unified regional research agenda.
Event details: To bridge these gaps, the co-applicants (Dr. Salters and Mr. Ranger) will host and co-facilitate a one-day, in-person planning session in Victoria, BC. The event features a structured, facilitated workshop and a networking lunch. Full funding will be allocated to maximize accessibility of participants, covering all venue costs, catered lunch, and return transportation.
Participant description: The session will bring together key harm reduction stakeholders from the most heavily impacted regions in BC (Vancouver and Vancouver Island). Participants will include harm reduction researchers (n=6), organizational leaders at SCS/OPS sites across five key municipalities (Vancouver, Victoria, Comox, Nanaimo, and the Cowichan Valley) (n=7), and Peers (n=2) who will bring vital lived/living experience. The facilitated discussion amongst the group will have the overarching goal of collaboratively identifying knowledge gaps, priorities, and opportunities for future harm reduction research and evaluation efforts.
This planning session will yield three measurable outcomes:
1. Identification of shared and site-specific monitoring, evaluation, and research needs among SCS/OPS operators.
2. A proposed list of prioritized research activities that directly support frontline harm reduction initiatives.
3. Identifying actionable strategies to translate future research into community-level policy and practice.
Ultimately, this event will solidify enduring relationships between researchers, operators, and peer leaders, ensuring future BC harm reduction research is deeply responsive to frontline priorities and realities.
Additional team members and participating organizations:
Dr. Jaime Arredondo Sanchez Lira- University of Victoria
Fred Cameron & Mark Willson- SOLID
Alannah Hannigan- BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS
Alex Werier- BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS