On December 19, 2024, the provincial government repealed the Restricting Public Consumption of Illegal Substances Act, which was passed by the Legislative Assembly in November 2023, but was not brought into force due to a court injunction.
The Province noted that Health Canada had amended the federal exemptions in May 2024 to restrict the use of drugs in all of the same places that had been intended to be covered by the provincial legislation. Therefore, the provincial legislation was unnecessary.
Currently, the use of illegal drugs is prohibited in all public spaces, including inside hospitals, on transit, in playgrounds, spray parks, wading pools, on K-12 premises and in parks. Police can also ask users to leave an area, seize drugs when necessary or arrest a person if required.
Users can possess drugs in private residences or designated health-care sites, such as overdose prevention, drug-checking, or addiction treatment service locations. An exception has also been made to support unhoused people in legal overnight sheltering locations.
The decriminalization pilot project will continue until January 31, 2026. For more information on the project, please visit the UBCM website.