The toxic drug crisis continues to have profound ripple effects across communities in B.C. One year into the Youth Wellness Grant (YWG), designed to support youth in B.C. who are grieving the loss of loved ones due to the toxic drug crisis, we’re seeing both the urgent need for youth bereavement care and the critical impact of community-led responses.
Between March 1, 2025 and February 28, 2026, 12 grant-funded organizations across B.C. supported 545 youth and 614 family and community members through grief-focused programs including counselling, peer support, cultural healing, art therapy, outreach, and land-based practices.
Funded organizations include:
Northern region
Interior region
- Canadian Mental Health Association
- Shuswap-Revelstoke
- Kamloops Aboriginal Friendship Society
- Ktunaxa Kinbasket Child and Family Service Society
Island region
Fraser region
Vancouver Coastal region
These programs were designed specifically for youth grieving toxic drug-related loss, an area of care that has often been overlooked despite the profound impact of the crisis on young people and families.
Programs reached both rural and urban youth, primarily supporting teens and transition-age young adults (approximately ages 12–24), with some extending supports up to age 30, and in certain cases also including younger children and young parents. Two-thirds of youth participants had experienced loss related to toxic drug deaths, with others joining due to other types of complex grief. Half of the funded organizations were Indigenous-led, and 8 organizations primarily served Indigenous youth, reinforcing the importance of supporting culturally grounded, community-led healing and self-determined care.
The past year has highlighted that youth grief connected to the toxic drug crisis is often invisible, stigmatized and underserved. Many young people navigating these losses are also facing isolation, family disruption, and socio-economic barriers. YWG grantees shared that building trusted spaces for grief takes time, flexibility, and strong community relationships, but the impact is meaningful. Youth reported feeling more connected, supported and hopeful, while programs also created opportunities for conversations about substance use and wellbeing.
We also saw these programs become vital community response spaces during times of sudden loss, adapting quickly to provide immediate grief support when communities needed it most. As YWG moves into its second year, we are grateful to the organizations, youth leaders, Elders, families and partners helping build stronger, community-centered bereavement care for youth across B.C.
CMHA Shuswap/Revelstoke in partnership with Rise Up Indigenous Wellness led the Youth Wellness Grant funded program Land is Medicine: Culture Heals to support youth and families dealing with grief and loss related to the toxic drug crisis. As part of their outreach for this culturally rooted, youth-focused program, they created “hope bundles” to reduce isolation and connect recipients to healing communities. Included was: A blanket, locally sourced honey, journal, locally made candle, jam made through a food security initiative, lavender/chamomile tea, bath salts, and information about upcoming programming.