BC Lags Behind Other Provinces in Life Satisfaction

[chemgear]

At least they're finally starting to maybe do something about the safe supply diversion. Pretty wild these guys are trying to go to Supreme Court "as they claim the college's pharmacy inspections were done without proper statutory authority."




https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/briti...line-1.7519217

3 Vancouver pharmacists ordered not to provide 'safe supply' pending investigation outcome

B.C.'s College of Pharmacists took the extraordinary step of announcing interim measures against Charanjit Pal, Jennifer Van Bui and Mamteshwari Ravnita Latchman this week. In a related case, the regulator also announced the suspension of a fourth pharmacist — Karandeep Singh Chohan.

The complaints allegedly prompted on-site inspections at both pharmacies.

According to the college, the allegations relate to "narcotic inventory control and management, prescription checking requirements, PharmaNet record keeping, patient consultations, supervision of non-pharmacist staff, and compliance with ethical standards."

None of the allegations against any of the pharmacists named by the college have been proven, and the two staff pharmacists — Bui and Latchman — filed petitions in B.C. Supreme Court Thursday seeking to overturn the interim measures against them.

The CBC has also reported extensively on concerns about pharmacies in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside paying customers a share of the money they claim from B.C.'s PharmaCare program.


https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottaw...ohip-1.7517426

A doctor running a network of addiction clinics across Ontario, including an Ottawa location that offers safer opioid supply, is billing public insurance about $2.5 million per year.

Neighbours in both Hintonburg and Chinatown have criticized Koka for prescribing opioid medications to fentanyl users. They say his patients are trading the prescription drugs on the street to get harder substances, attracting dealers and crime to the area.

City councillors representing both neighbourhoods have urged Northwood Recovery to change its operations or shut down.

CBC submitted a freedom of information request to the Ontario Ministry of Health seeking records of Koka's total billing to the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP). It reveals that he billed just over $2.3 million in 2023 and nearly $2.5 million in 2024.

But the totals are far in excess of typical billing. The average gross clinical payment for Ontario physicians was $388,557 in 2022-23, according to the Canadian Institute for Health Information. Payments for the top quintile — the top 20 per cent of physicians by billing — were $568,432 on average.

CBC also submitted a request for Koka's billing for telemedicine specifically. He billed $524,302 for virtual care services in 2024, including video and telephone consultations.

The college cautioned him in 2019, after a patient complained that Koka didn't meet with him at all. Instead, a physician assistant at his office prescribed methadone after a virtual appointment.

The college found no sign that the physician assistant had proper training — and noted that delegating care is only appropriate in the context of an existing doctor-patient relationship, which did not exist in that case.

[KelVarnsen]

Can we rename this thread?

Something like "The Ongoing Thread of chemgear Bitching About BC" would work

[chemgear]

Originally Posted by KelVarnsen

Can we rename this thread?

Something like "The Ongoing Thread of chemgear Bitching About BC" would work

Ah, ad hominem attacks.

Oh maybe the Vancouver is No Good thread?

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by chemgear

At least they're finally starting to maybe do something about the safe supply diversion. Pretty wild these guys are trying to go to Supreme Court "as they claim the college's pharmacy inspections were done without proper statutory authority."

Yes, how dare they want something as trivial as due process.

[Matty81]

Yeah the thread title is pretty bad... but if it makes you feel momentarily better about your terrible winter more power to you. I jest I jest, I'll see myself out and go back to hanging out with all the druggies out here

[Cappy]

Thought i would include this here,

Are you flourishing? Many young adults aren't, new study suggests

https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/flour...ults-1.7522139

Interesting study showing younger people rating lower on the "flourishing" scale compared to older individuals in high income countries (Canada was not apart of the study)

Probably not unexpected, and some of that is always the case - older, more money, more financial freedom, etc. Plus the addition of social media and the problems that has shown. (it should also be prefaced that, even in the US, individuals reported 6.4/10 which isn't that low)

However, an interesting point in the study appears to be what is lagging among young people:

"Interestingly, high-income societies were doing well on what we would call happiness, but on purpose and meaning we were doing really poorly," Kim said.

Kim says researchers have, in general, been thinking about how the breakdown of social structures like unions, clubs and religious organizations — places people previously gathered beyond just home and work — affects whether people flourish. The loss of such opportunities increases loneliness and threatens purpose and meaning, he says.

So happiness is good; but a sense of meaning and purpose are down. Certainly something we don't necessarily track on a government level but COVID certainly showed cracks in this issue.

If anyone hasn't read it yet, i always recommend Robert Putnam's "Bowling Alone" about the decline of civil groups and its effect on our society.

[CliffFletcher]

Yes, our declining life satisfaction is rooted in social alienation more than material deprivation. People in the bottom quartile in income suffer hardships that affect their happiness. But people in median income households don’t get any happier as they climb the income ladder. Once you’re not poor, social connections, belonging, and meaning become far more important indicators of life satisfaction than income.

The number of people you’re close with, how much time you spend with them face-to-face, whether you feel valued. Essential stuff, and all on a downward trend. But as a society we’re at a loss for how to restore social networks and find meaning. So we point the finger at corrupt elites, the rich, or the system.

[rubecube]

Some good news today. BC is on pace for about 7200 less drug poisoning events this year than in 2024. Drug poisoning is obviously different from overdose deaths, but it's still a good sign.

January also saw a 30% decrease in overdose deaths from a year ago and is the lowest number in January since 2020. This follows the 12% decrease for the entire year from 2023 - 2024.

Really hoping the government doesn't go backwards on decrim and safe supply because it looks like we're finally seeing the positive effects.

EDITed to add more math: About 6.8% of every drug poisoning event results in an overdose death. If we're able to maintain (or hopefully improve this rate), it would result in a 21.5% for the year over 2024, or nearly 500 less deaths.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by rubecube

Some good news today. BC is on pace for about 7200 less drug poisoning events this year than in 2024. Drug poisoning is obviously different from overdose deaths, but it's still a good sign.

January also saw a 30% decrease in overdose deaths from a year ago and is the lowest number in January since 2020. This follows the 12% decrease for the entire year from 2023 - 2024.

Really hoping the government doesn't go backwards on decrim and safe supply because it looks like we're finally seeing the positive effects.

EDITed to add more math: About 6.8% of every drug poisoning event results in an overdose death. If we're able to maintain (or hopefully improve this rate), it would result in a 21.5% for the year over 2024, or nearly 500 less deaths.

That's great news. Stats are here:

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/l...stical-reports

Still so depressing to see the effect of Fentanyl. 370 deaths in 2014 (Fentanyl detected in 25% of deaths), to a high in 2023 of 2581 (85% fentanyl detected).

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by blankall

That's great news. Stats are here:

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/l...stical-reports

Still so depressing to see the effect of Fentanyl. 370 deaths in 2014 (Fentanyl detected in 25% of deaths), to a high in 2023 of 2581 (85% fentanyl detected).

Yeah, I wonder how much of an impact naloxone kits and test strips have had. Even when I walk down Pandora, most of the people who are using out in the open are also carrying naloxone with them. Although, naloxone is still probably captured because it would also likely show up in drug poisoning stats due to EMTs eventually being involved.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by rubecube

Yeah, I wonder how much of an impact naloxone kits and test strips have had. Even when I walk down Pandora, most of the people who are using out in the open are also carrying naloxone with them. Although, naloxone is still probably captured because it would also likely show up in drug poisoning stats due to EMTs eventually being involved.

I gave CPR to a homeless person who was having an overdose. He was sitting on bench and did a faceplant onto the concrete. He was totally unresponsive and taking one breath (more of a gasp) every 15-20 seconds or so. I gave him CPR for about 10-15 minutes before the firetruck arrived.

They administered Naloxone so quickly that I didn't even see it. The guy was up and talking instantly. Craziest thing I've ever seen. The whole process from the firetruck arriving to him being up and talking like nothing had happened was less than 5 seconds.

I saw the firemen arrive. Went to put away my phone, as I'd been on the call with 911 who were giving me instructions, then I looked back and he was up and talking like nothing had happened. Absolutely mind blowing. The guy refused to go the hospital and just walked away on his own.

[Ironhorse]

I’m surprised he didn’t start arguing with / berating the fire fighters for ruining his high.

[rubecube]

I think the NDP might have knocked it out of the park with the short-term rental ban. I'm currently looking for a new place to live and it's been ages since I've seen this much supply and the prices are definitely way down from where they were even a year ago.

Also getting a real kick out of the people now trying to rent furnished apartments because their units were previously AirBnBs. Eat ####, you ####ing parasites.

[MarchHare]

Originally Posted by rubecube

I think the NDP might have knocked it out of the park with the short-term rental stuff. I'm currently looking for a new place to live and it's been ages since I've seen this much supply and the prices are definitely way down from where they were even a year ago.

Also getting a real kick out of the people now trying to rent furnished apartments because their units were previously AirBnBs. Eat ####, you ####ing parasites.

Can confirm. I just bought a condo in New West and am moving out of my rental apartment next week. Out of curiosity, I looked up my current apartment on rental websites and found the property owner listed it for $200/mo less than I'm currently paying in rent.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

Can confirm. I just bought a condo in New West and am moving out of my rental apartment next week. Out of curiosity, I looked up my current apartment on rental websites and found the property owner listed it for $200/mo less than I'm currently paying in rent.

Yeah, a lot of owners don't realize the market has shifted either. I'm seeing 1-bedrooms still up on marketplace for over $2k and they've been sitting there for weeks.

I offered one person $150 below their asking price, they told me the rent was non-negotiable, and then reposted the next day $120 less than their original asking price. When I went to look at it, it still wasn't worth what they were asking for it.

[burnin_vernon]

Originally Posted by rubecube

I think the NDP might have knocked it out of the park with the short-term rental ban. I'm currently looking for a new place to live and it's been ages since I've seen this much supply and the prices are definitely way down from where they were even a year ago.

Also getting a real kick out of the people now trying to rent furnished apartments because their units were previously AirBnBs. Eat ####, you ####ing parasites.

I've lived in Yaletown for just over 2 years now and similar units are $150-200/mo less today. I don't think I'll move for that but if my landlord raises the rent again, I'll be moving.

Also, Summer squeeze forces Eby to reconsider short-term rental restrictions

[blankall]

We have a basement suite. The market is night and day different from a couple of years ago. Two years ago, there'd be a lineup of people begging us to see the place. This year, people sprinkled in here and there and all had other option they were considering.

We ended up dropping the rent by $200. I always list my places below market to attract the best tenant pool. Even below market it was tough to find anyone good.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by rubecube

I think the NDP might have knocked it out of the park with the short-term rental ban. I'm currently looking for a new place to live and it's been ages since I've seen this much supply and the prices are definitely way down from where they were even a year ago.

Also getting a real kick out of the people now trying to rent furnished apartments because their units were previously AirBnBs. Eat ####, you ####ing parasites.

Didn't Eby just recently say that they might look into putting the short term rental on hold because Canadian travelers who don't want to go to the US are having a tough time finding accommodations for the summer?

[Locke]

Originally Posted by blankall

We have a basement suite. The market is night and day different from a couple of years ago. Two years ago, there'd be a lineup of people begging us to see the place. This year, people sprinkled in here and there and all had other option they were considering.

We ended up dropping the rent by $200. I always list my places below market to attract the best tenant pool. Even below market it was tough to find anyone good.

I always go and kick tires and then lowball people. It gets their blood flowing which is an overall net positive for society.

"$1500/mo?? How about these 3 magic beans? No? 2 Magic Beans?"

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by burnin_vernon

I've lived in Yaletown for just over 2 years now and similar units are $150-200/mo less today. I don't think I'll move for that but if my landlord raises the rent again, I'll be moving.

Also, Summer squeeze forces Eby to reconsider short-term rental restrictions

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

Didn't Eby just recently say that they might look into putting the short term rental on hold because Canadian travelers who don't want to go to the US are having a tough time finding accommodations for the summer?

Sounds like it's possible once they get a healthy supply of rental properties built, but it's not happening any time soon.

https://www.biv.com/news/commentary/...tions-10548251

“When we get back to healthy rental levels in communities, we'll reduce those restrictions, and people will be able to do short-term rentals again,” he told me in a recent interview on CHEK News.

In response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff and annexation threats, the premier and his top ministers have urged British Columbians not to vacation this summer in the United States. Combined with an ongoing cost of living crisis, many are choosing staycations instead.

However, those travelling in the province also face steep rates at many local hotels and fewer alternatives than in the past on sites like Vrbo due to the provincial crackdown.

“My hope is that with rental housing program changes that we put in place, and with additional supports for rental housing, we’ll be able to ease off on those restrictions,” said Eby.

“But right now, we need the rental housing.”