Health Committee on Dec. 9th, 2025

[Kendal Weber]

I don't have that right at hand. It would take me a second to look for it, and I don't want to use your time, so I can provide a written answer.

We do regulate cannabis, the licensing of cannabis and public health and education. I will table the exact number after the fact.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Dan Mazier]

Thank you.

Ms. Konanz, you have five minutes.

[Helena Konanz, Conservative, Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC]

Thank you, Chair.

Ms. Weber, we've talked a lot today about providing crack pipes and other drug use material. If an individual comes to use these illegal hard drugs over and over again, are they simply allowed to continue to do so, or does Health Canada encourage these individuals to stop using drugs?

[Kendal Weber]

Our strategy for supporting individuals during a crisis is a full continuum. It's prevention to encourage and to ensure that people do not start using the drugs, it's harm reduction when people are using the drugs and it's treatment and recovery, and then also, of course, enforcement, so the full continuum of activities is key.

[Helena Konanz, Conservative, Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC]

Thank you.

I wanted you to know that in my huge riding and in Okanagan, there is no treatment available. What would you suggest should happen to the people who are continually given drugs but have no treatment available?

[Kendal Weber]

An important role that the provinces and territories play in the country is health care system delivery, and the transfers that go to the provinces and territories are also used for substance use and treatment.

[Helena Konanz, Conservative, Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC]

Maybe we shouldn't be continuing, because I know you said you're monitoring the drug supply but you aren't checking to see whether the full continuum is actually happening.

[Kendal Weber]

We work with provinces and territories and we work with municipalities and non-governmental organizations. The provinces and territories play the primary role and the lead role in health care system delivery.

[Helena Konanz, Conservative, Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC]

Okay.

[Kendal Weber]

We've already talked today about Alberta's recovery model, which is an example of the recovery and treatment that's taking place—

[Helena Konanz, Conservative, Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC]

Okay, but not where we live, so—

[Kendal Weber]

In British Columbia, the province has put in place Road to Recovery, which includes a full continuum of care.

[Helena Konanz, Conservative, Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC]

Unfortunately, that's not happening. You can see it in the number of deaths that have happened in the last few years, of course, because of decriminalization.

That leads to my next question.

How much have you had to increase the substance use and addictions program funding toward British Columbia since your department provided a waiver to allow the decriminalization pilot program in 2023?

[Kendal Weber]

Our substance use and addictions program does fund projects across the country.

[Helena Konanz, Conservative, Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC]

Do you know how much it is for British Columbia? If not, you can table that later.

[Kendal Weber]

I'll table that after the fact.

[Helena Konanz, Conservative, Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC]

Thank you.

You told the committee last time that you were considering a renewal of the exemption in B.C. and, when the request comes in for a renewal of the pilot program, you will assess public health and public safety indicators. Has a request been received to extend the decriminalization pilot program in B.C., yes or no?

[Kendal Weber]

No. A request has not been received.

[Helena Konanz, Conservative, Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC]

Okay.

Ms. Kendal, if you do receive an extension request, will you reject it considering the thousands of people who have died in B.C. since this program started, yes or no?

[Kendal Weber]

We did not receive a request. I don't want to assume what, if any, decisions would be made. We haven't received anything to date.

[Helena Konanz, Conservative, Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC]

You would have to assess if you received a request. Is that correct?

[Kendal Weber]

For any application that comes in, we do assess it thoroughly.

[Helena Konanz, Conservative, Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC]

Ms. Kendall, in an abstinence-based program in my community of Penticton, we have Discovery House, which is an incredible organization that has saved so many men and reunited them with their families. It's abstinence-based and it's been extremely successful and embraced by our community.

Would they score higher in the substance use and addictions program application process as opposed to an organization that runs an injection site?

[Kendal Weber]

There are a variety of projects that we fund. It can be the need or what they put forward, but it's not based on the type of programming that's delivered. That does sound like—

[Helena Konanz, Conservative, Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC]

Are you funding abstinence-based programs like Discovery House?