B.C. commits $50 million to expand nasal naloxone access amid ongoing overdose crisis

The British Columbia government says it will invest $50 million over the next two years to increase access to nasal naloxone kits as part of its response to the province’s ongoing overdose emergency.

Health Minister Josie Osborne said the funding will allow nasal naloxone to account for roughly half of the more than 400,000 take home naloxone kits distributed each year in B.C. The province first declared the toxic drug crisis a public health emergency in April 2016, and officials say it continues to have widespread impacts on families and communities.

According to the Health Ministry, injectable take home naloxone kits have reversed nearly 40,000 overdoses since 2019. The province plans to begin distributing additional nasal kits at 150 community sites in the coming weeks, with expansion to all 2,400 take home naloxone locations starting in April.

Chloe Goodison, executive director of the NaloxHome Society, said wider access to nasal kits could lower barriers for people who may be hesitant to use injectable medication. She noted that drug poisoning remains the leading cause of death among British Columbians aged 10 to 59, and said nasal naloxone may be more accessible for youth and others responding to emergencies.

The announcement comes as communities across B.C., including Surrey and other Metro Vancouver municipalities, continue to face high numbers of drug toxicity deaths. Public health officials have repeatedly emphasized that naloxone is a critical tool, but say broader efforts addressing prevention, treatment and safer supply remain central to reducing fatalities.