Need help immediately?

If there is a life-threatening safety concern, please call 9-1-1 or go to the Emergency Department at your nearest hospital.

Suicide prevention hotline: 1-800-784-2433

BC Crisis Line: 604-310-6789

Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868

Indigenous Crisis and Support Line - KUU-US Crisis Support Line: 1-800-588-8717

Harm reduction: Toward the Heart 

Harm reduction and needle distribution sites provide harm reduction supplies, including safer injection, safer smoking and safer sex supplies, along with harm reduction education and referrals to health services, addictions services and other social supports.

What to expect

We offer safe disposal of needles and other injection supplies. Harm reduction services are offered directly through Vancouver Coastal Health at many community health centres, through contracted agencies and in partnership with other community organizations.

The goals of this program are to prevent infections, including HIV and Hepatitis C, to provide harm reduction education and support, and to connect clients to programs and services to improve health and well-being.

Resources

    • Overdose response, naloxone & training

      Information and resources on how to prevent and respond to overdoses.

    • Substance use and harm reduction resources for health professionals and service providers

      Substance use and harm reduction training, education and other resources for health professionals, service providers and overdose prevention sites.

    • Vancouver Needle Distribution and Recovery Van

Harm reduction supplies

Harm reduction supplies are sterile supplies that reduce the risk of diseases like HIV and Hepatitis C for people who use drugs by injecting or smoking. Harm reduction supplies save lives, reduce infections and give the message: “We care about you, and think your health matters."

Learn more about the purpose of each item on the Toward the Heart website.

Supplies are available for free throughout the region at all VCH needle exchanges. To find all of the sites where supplies are available, use the Towards the Heart site finder.

Needle Distribution and Needle Disposal

  1. Don’t touch the needle with your bare hands – get the proper equipment: rubber or leather gloves, tongs or pliers, and a puncture-resistant plastic container with a lid.
  2. Use tongs or pliers to pick up the needle and place it in the container.
  3. Secure the lid on the container.
  4. Wash your hands and gloves.
  5. Return the container to any pharmacy, or community health centre.

Needle pickup for all regions

Needle distribution and pick-up in Vancouver

If you see a used needle/syringe in Vancouver, please call the hotline at (604) 657-6561 or email needlevan@phs.ca. Staff will go to the area and safely collect and dispose of the needle. The needle van will also distribute harm reduction supplies to locations within Vancouver city limits.

Needle pick-up in Powell River

Within the city limits of Powell River, Powell River Fire Rescue will pick up any needles that are found – please call (604) 485-4431.

Needle pick-up in Sechelt

If a needle is found in a public space, please call Taegan Ackland-Gaetz, Sunshine Coast Harm Reduction Worker, at (604) 841-2726.

Needle pick-up in Richmond

If a needle is found in a public space, please call the City of Richmond Public Works Department at (604) 270-8721.

Find this service near you

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  • Community health centres

    Harm Reduction Supplies & Needle Distribution Site at Central Community Health Centre

    132 West Esplanade North Vancouver
  • Community health centres

    Harm Reduction Supplies & Needle Distribution Site at Downtown Community Health Centre

    569 Powell Street Vancouver
  • Community health centres

    Harm Reduction Supplies & Needle Distribution Site at Evergreen Community Health Centre

    3425 Crowley Drive Vancouver
  • Community health centres

    Harm Reduction Supplies & Needle Distribution Site at Gibsons Health Unit

    821 Gibsons Way Gibsons
  • Community health centres

    Harm Reduction Supplies & Needle Distribution Site at Pacific Spirit CHC

    2110 West 43rd Avenue Vancouver
  • Community health centres

    Harm Reduction Supplies & Needle Distribution Site at Pemberton Health Centre

    1403 Portage Road, PO Box 8 Pemberton
  • Community health centres

    Harm Reduction Supplies & Needle Distribution Site at Pender Community Health Centre

    59 West Pender Street Vancouver
  • Harm Reduction Supplies & Needle Distribution Site at qathet General Hospital

    5000 Joyce Avenue Powell River
  • Community health centres

    Harm Reduction Supplies & Needle Distribution Site at Raven Song Community Health Centre

    2450 Ontario Street Vancouver
  • Harm Reduction Supplies & Needle Distribution Site at Richmond Hospital ER

    Richmond Hospital, 7000 Westminster Highway Richmond
  • Other

    Harm Reduction Supplies & Needle Distribution Site at Richmond Place

    8100 Granville Avenue Richmond
  • Community health centres

    Harm Reduction Supplies & Needle Distribution Site at Robert and Lily Lee Family CHC

    1669 East Broadway Vancouver
  • Mental health clinics

    Harm Reduction Supplies & Needle Distribution Site at Squamish Mental Health and Substance Use Services

    38075 2nd Avenue, P.O. Box 220 Squamish
  • Community health centres

    Harm Reduction Supplies & Needle Distribution Site at Three Bridges CHC (West End)

    1128 Hornby Street Vancouver
  • Community health centres

    Harm Reduction Supplies & Needle Distribution Site at Whistler Health Care Centre

    4380 Lorimer Road Whistler
  • Other

    Harm Reduction Supplies and Needle Distribution Site at Community Health Access Center

    7671 Alderbridge Way, Unit 210 Richmond