Working together to end toxic drug deaths, save lives and end stigma.
International Overdose Awareness Day -
Hacket Park
Monday, August 31st 1-4 PM
1pm - Welcome by Indigenous Elder Andy Dixon and Sito.
1:30pm - Grief Circle, Devil's Club bracelet making, Indigenous support with Elder Glenn, and naloxone training.
3pm - Blanketing Ceremony, Food and Music
Join us on International Overdose Awareness Day as we come together in remembrance, healing, connection, and hope. This community gathering offers a welcoming space to honour loved ones who have died, support those who continue to grieve, and stand in solidarity with individuals, families, and communities impacted by the toxic drug crisis.
Throughout the afternoon, participants are invited to take part in a grief circle, connect with an Indigenous Elder for guidance and support, learn life-saving naloxone training, and participate in a Devil’s Club bracelet workshop that celebrates culture, healing, and resilience. The event will also feature food, music, and personal stories from survivors and families, creating opportunities for reflection, community connection, and shared understanding.
Whether you have been personally affected by substance use, have lost someone you love, work in the community, or simply wish to learn more and show your support, all are welcome. Together, we can reduce stigma, foster compassion, and remind one another that no one has to carry grief alone.
Bring a friend, family member, or neighbour. Light a candle of remembrance, share a story, learn a new skill, and help build a more caring and connected Sunshine Coast.
Always remembered.
Hosted on the stolen ancestral territory of the shishalh Nation in the village of ch'atlich known colonially as Sechelt.
Welcome to the Sunshine Coast Community Action Team (SCCAT).
The SCCAT has been set up to save the lives of all those who are at risk due to the poisoned drug supply and the current overdose public health emergency. The CAT provides education, support, and interventions to meet community needs, guided by those with lived experience of substance use.
2026 Actions and Outcomes
94
Naloxone Trainings
25
Peers Directly Invloved
18
Community
Engangement Events
17
Articles and Press
Mentions
4
Delegations
And Presentations
56
New Social
Media Followers
9
24
CAT Meetings with
Community Partners
675
People Engaged
What is a CAT?
First established in 2018, Community Action Teams ("CATs") are part of the B.C. government’s response to the toxic drug crisis.
The life-saving harm-reduction mandates of these teams include naloxone distribution, localized overdose prevention strategies and services, peer support provision and initiatives to reduce the stigma associated with drug use and/or drug poisonings.
In 2021, the provincial government invested directly in regional-specific CATs to work with local agencies, partners and peers to develop unique community-led responses. The Sunshine Coast CAT is one of 36 teams in B.C. operating with funds from that important investment.
Learn more about what’s happening with SCCAT in a recent article in the Coast Reporter.
Photo By Sarah Tesla
Land Acknowledgement
The Sunshine Coast region is home to the traditional, unceded, and ancestral territories of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw,and shíshálh Nations. We honour the Indigenous peoples in British Columbia and the Sunshine Coast as the knowledge keepers of this beautiful land and its inhabitants.
Who We Are, How We Work
Our CAT consists of a large multi-stakeholder steering committee which meets monthly with representatives from many sectors in our region.
Steering Committee Member Representatives: Pender Harbour Health, Sunshine Coast Community Services, District of Sechelt, Town of Gibsons, Vancouver Coastal Health, i2iPeer Support, RainCity Housing and the Sunshine Coast Resource Centre.
Our large community team, made up of over 25 organizations, meets monthly to share knowledge and community updates and to ensure that our collective action efforts are aligned and pushing the same direction: towards harm reduction, dignity for all and justice.

