The Vancouver Island Construction Association (VICA) is proud to announce the launch of the Tailgate Toolkit Project to help address the ongoing overdose crisis on Vancouver Island. 

“Workers in construction, the trades, and transportation have been hit particularly hard by this crisis,” says Sheila Malcolmson, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. “We want people to feel comfortable talking about mental health and substance use.  This project will go a long way to reducing the stigma that still stops people from reaching out for the help they need and deserve.”

The Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions is investing nearly a quarter million dollars with Island Health into the Tailgate Toolkit Project which is an innovative new harm-reduction strategy, targeted to reach those who primarily work in the trades. The BC Coroners Service reported in 2018 that of those who lost their lives, 81% were men. 44% of people who died of overdose were employed, and more than half worked in trades or transport.

“The ongoing overdose crisis cannot be overshadowed by the COVID pandemic,” states Rory Kulmala, CEO of the Vancouver Island Construction Association.  “We are eager to work with Island Heath and all our various stakeholders to develop an innovative harm-reduction strategy to assist at-risk workers from a variety of industries.”

The Tailgate Toolkit Project will consist of a three-phased approach, stakeholder engagement, development and implementation of training curriculum, and refinement of training based on feedback.

“I am thrilled that Island Health and the Vancouver Island Construction Association are working to address overdose deaths affecting people who primarily work in the trades,” said Dr. Richard Stanwick, Vice President, Population Health & Chief Medical Health Officer, Island Health. “This initiative is a great example of different groups working together to connect people affected by the overdose crisis with help when they are ready.”

Phase one of The Tailgate Toolkit Project is underway. VICA will be holding focus groups for supervisors, managers, owners, union reps, and educators in construction to share their ideas and experiences of how drug use effects construction. VICA will also be holding confidential one-on-one interviews with anyone who has worked in construction within the last 5 years and uses or has used drugs. The interviews will be used to develop a training curriculum and resources for employers and employees, and will guide recommendations to reduce drug harms in the trades sector.

About VICA
The Vancouver Island Construction Association (VICA) has served the construction community since 1912 and is one of Canada’s oldest not-for-profit, industry associations. With offices in Victoria and Nanaimo, VICA connects the Island’s institutional, commercial, and multi-family residential sectors with skilled labour, education, and networking opportunities.

vicabc.ca

About Island Health

Island Health provides health care and support services to more than 850,000 people on Vancouver Island, the islands in the Salish Sea and the Johnstone Strait, and mainland communities north of Powell River. With more than 23,000 staff and over 2,500 physician partners, 4,000 volunteers, and the dedicated support of foundations and auxiliaries, Island Health delivers a broad range of health services, including: public health services, primary health care, home and community care, mental health and addictions services, acute care in hospitals, and much more across a huge, geographically diverse region.

islandhealth.ca