BCCDC reports regularly on harm reduction and substance use topics.
Since 2012 the BCCDC Harm Reduction Services program has surveyed clients of harm reduction supply distribution sites across BC. BC has an established network of more than 350 harm reduction distribution sites.
Prior to 2012, knowledge about high-risk drug use was based primarily on data from two major cities, Vancouver and Victoria. The Harm Reduction Client Survey was introduced to obtain more comprehensive and province-wide information about drug use, related harms, stigma, and access to harm reduction services.
Data from the survey is used to inform harm reduction planning, confirm emerging issues, and to evaluate and improve quality of harm reduction services. The background and significant findings of the survey are summarised in the reports below. The 2023 survey was administered at sites across the province and data analyses are in progress. People with lived and living experience of substance use are engaged during survey development and interpreting findings.
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The UBC Office of Research Ethics has reviewed and approved this study in accordance with the requirements of the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (TCPS2, 2018). Regional Health Authority Research Offices have also approved the study for each region.BC Harm Reduction Client Survey: Background & Significant Findings throughout the Years
A BCCDC Rounds presentation Sep 2021 highlights how survey findings have informed policy and programs, and how people with lived/living experience of substance use are engaged in all steps of survey development, administration and interpretation of the findings.
The harm reduction client survey: From small beginnings to influencing harm reduction policy and programs.
Findings and knowledge summaries for each year the survey was administered are described below.
2021
Drug Checking in British Columbia: Findings from the 2021 Harm Reduction Client Survey (May 2024) Knowledge Update
Factors associated with obtaining prescribed safer supply among people accessing harm reduction services: findings from a cross-sectional survey (Jan 2024) Publication
Motivators of and barriers to drug checking engagement in British Columbia, Canada: Findings from a cross-sectional survey (Jan 2024) Publication
Associations with experience of non-fatal opioid overdose in British Columbia, Canada: a repeated cross-sectional survey (Dec 2023) Publication
Preferred stimulant safer supply and associations with methamphetamine preference among people who use stimulants in British Columbia: Findings from a 2021 cross-sectional survey (Oct 2023) Publication
Identifying demographic, substance use, and health services characteristics associated with obtaining Prescribed Safer Supply: analysis from the Harm Reduction Client Survey (Jan 2023) Knowledge Update
Reported Substance Use, Overdose and Naloxone Kit Ownership 2012-2021
Changes to the Drug Supply and Public Drug Use during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (Sep 2023) Infographic
Findings from the 2021 Harm Reduction Client Survey on Witnessed Drug Consumption Services: Overdose Prevention Sites, Supervised Consumption Sites, and Cellphone Applications (Sep 2023) Knowledge Update
Smoking identified as preferred mode of opioid safe supply use: investigating correlates of smoking preference through a 2021 cross-sectional study in British Columbia (2023) Publication
Awareness, predictors and outcomes of drug alerts among people who access harm reduction services in British Columbia, Canada: findings from a 2021 cross-sectional survey (2023) Publication
2021 Harm Reduction Client Survey
2021 Map of Participating Harm Reduction Distribution Sites
2019
Smoking opioids
Preferred down (opioids)
Opioid agonist therapy discontinuation in British Columbia: a cross-sectional study of people who access harm reduction services (2025) Publication
Exploring motivations for concurrent use of uppers and downers among people who access harm reduction services in British Columbia: a thematic analysis (2022) Publication
Correlates of concurrent use of stimulants and opioids among people who access harm reduction services in British Columbia, Canada: Findings from the 2019 Harm Reduction Client Survey. (Apr 2022) Publication
Investigating Opioid Preference to Inform Safe Supply Services: A Cross Sectional Study (Jan 2022) Publication
Urine toxicology screening among 2018 and 2019 harm reduction client survey participants (Dec 2021) Report
Examining prevalence and correlates of smoking opioids in BC: Opioids are more often smoked than injected (Oct 2021) Publication
Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act awareness among people who use drugs in British Columbia (Sep 2021) Publication
Crystal Methamphetamine Use in BC: A Cross-sectional Study of People Who Access Harm Reduction Services (May 2021) Publication
2019 Harm Reduction Client Survey
2018
Convenience & Comfort: Reasons Reported for Using Drugs Alone Among Clients of Harm Reduction Sites in B.C. (Dec 2020) Infographic Publication
Known & Unknown Fentanyl Use (Jan 2020)
Infographic Publication
Acceptability of Technological Solutions for Overdose Monitoring: Perspectives of People Who Use Drugs (Oct 2019) Publication
Correlates of Naloxone Kit Possession Research Summary (Oct 2019) Infographic
Findings from the 2018 B.C. Harm Reduction Client Survey (Dec 2018) Knowledge Update
Urinalysis Toxicology Screening Results (Oct 2018) Infographic
2015
Why the FUSS (Fentanyl Urine Screen Study)? A Cross-sectional Survey to Characterize an Emerging Threat to People Who Use Drugs in B.C. (Nov 2015)
Publication
2014
Patient Perspectives of Methadone Formulation Change in British Columbia, Canada: Outcomes of a Provincial Survey (Jan 2016)
Publication
Geographic distribution of psychoactive substance use among clients of harm reduction sites across BC.
Download all maps
2013
Substance Use Trends in BC: A Survey of Harm Reduction Clients - Overall Results for BC 2013 (Feb 2014) Report
Geographic distribution of psychoactive substance use among clients of harm reduction sites across BC.
2012
Survey on Drug Use Among Harm Reduction Clients (Apr 2014) Publication
