The Port Moody Community Society launches inaugural initiative Activate BC
For Immediate Release
Tuesday, August 8, 2023
PORT MOODY, B.C. — — The Port Moody Community Society (PMCS) is helping businesses further understand how they can get involved in the community-wide response to the toxic drug supply crisis by launching its inaugural initiative, Activate BC.
“According to the United Nations, 1 in 20 people are casual drug users and many times they blend into society with full time jobs. With the amount of time community members are dedicating to their careers, it’s important that businesses have access to-easy-to-implement policies and resources. This increases the likelihood that coworkers and clients will be supported,” said Bill Laidler, founding board member of the PMCS.
The Activate BC initiative entails a series of informative webinars and access to resources on their new website, which the PMCS hopes will enhance awareness around how businesses can prepare for and engage in the response to the crisis.
ActivateBC.ca, acts as a centralized hub for business-specific resources, such as a business policy template, posters, and other business-specific resources. “Through Activate BC, businesses can easily find easy-to-use tools that we developed specifically for businesses, as well as links to key programs and resources developed by partner organisations in the community,” said Keegan Hughes, PMCS board member. “We want to highlight and complement the good work being done by important partners in the community, such as Sandra Horton, formerly with the Tri-Cities Community Action Team (CAT) and NaloxHome.”
In November 2021 the PMCS initially launched its initiative with a single business webinar, which was presented in collaboration with Fraser Health and saw a great level of interest from Tri-Cities’ businesses, community partners and city councillors, including Port Moody Councillor Diana Dilworth and Coquitlam Councillors Dennis Marsden and Trish Mandewo. However, after the webinar, participants were left asking “What’s next?”
“After our first webinar it was clear that many business owners are more than willing to be engaged and if we can ensure they have access to tools, resources and training, they could meaningfully help our community address this crisis,” said Claudia Kempe, PMCS board member. “From that point, we knew we’d create the resources hub so businesses interested in being engaged can become active partners.”
In collaboration with Fraser Health, the PMCS will offer three webinars over the course of this year, the first one taking place August 29th at 10am. They will provide business-owners and interested community members with an overview of the crisis, the key steps that businesses can take to prepare for and respond in the event of an overdose, and an approach for best utilizing the available resources. The webinars are open to the public and will be held throughout the summer and fall. Those interested in registering can sign up at Activatebc.ca/webinars.
Moving forward, the PMCS will continue to curate the support available from other community groups, not for profits and all levels of government. Activate BC’s function strives to be the connection between businesses and best practices to increase support within their work culture.
-30-
About the Port Moody Community Society
Established in 2021, the PMCS is a local non-profit with a community focus. We are a group of Port Moody residents passionate about making our community a better place to live, work and play. We believe that everyone can have a role in ensuring a safer and healthier community and we are banding together to do just that.
About Activate BC
Activate BC is a centralized website and hub for business-specific resources related to the toxic drug crisis in BC. Our mission is to provide businesses with the knowledge and resources they need to prepare, act and respond in the case of an overdose. Our resources include business policy templates, posters, directions on how to access supplies, grief supports and other tools. There are links to relevant partners, support programs, and information for businesses and employees. Activate BC has partnered with Fraser Health to organise three webinars in 2023 that will assist businesses understand the problem and navigate the support available.
Contact
The Port Moody Community Society can be contacted at [email protected].
Bill Laidler
Claudia Kempe
Keegan Hughes