Comox Valley to host International Overdose Awareness Day event

The Village Clinic, in collaboration with several community organizations, will host an event for International Overdose Awareness Day on August 27 at the Comox Valley Art Gallery Plaza. The gathering aims to honor those lost to overdoses, reduce stigma, and promote evidence-based prevention strategies.

Scheduled activities include naloxone training, community resource information, and musical performances. The event will feature opening and closing ceremonies led by Indigenous elders, as well as speeches from MP Gord Johns, Mayor Bob Wells, and Councillor Wendy Morin. A two-minute silence is planned for 12:30 p.m. to remember those who have died from overdoses. This follows a period in 2025 where paramedics responded to 490 overdose-related calls in the Comox Valley.