The Centre for Addictions Research of BC is a provincial research network involving a partnership of Simon Fraser University, Thompson Rivers University, the University of British Columbia, the University of Northern British Columbia and the University of Victoria. The Centre maintains various agreements with other collaborating centres and researchers and is administered by the University of Victoria. Since its inception in 2003, the Centre has developed relationships with a large network of organizations and researchers addressing addictions-related harm. The Centre sits at arms length from government while working on shared concerns with multiple government departments, including health, police, education, and liquor licensing.
Our mission ...
... is to create an internationally recognized centre, distributed across BC, that is dedicated to research and knowledge exchange on substance use, harm reduction and addiction
Our values ...
- collaborative relationships
- independent research
- ethics, social equity and justice
- reducing risk and increasing protection
- harm reduction
- informed public debate
Our core activities ...
- To build research infrastructure and capacity across BC for the conduct of research that will increase understanding and support more effective responses to substance use
- To conduct high-quality research that increases understanding of substance use and addiction, and informs effective responses
- To disseminate research findings that increase understanding of substance use and addiction in order to increase awareness of related harms and to identify effective responses
- To contribute to the implementation of evidence-based policy and practice
Our history ...
In December 2000, a Task Group was appointed by the Provincial Government to study and make recommendations on the future of addiction services in British Columbia. The group was asked to examine issues related to alcohol, tobacco, other drugs and gambling. The Task Group's March 2001 report, Weaving Threads Together, contained several recommendations to prevent and reduce harm related to problem substance use and problem gambling in the province. The task force also recommended investment in the infrastructure necessary to evaluate outcomes and enhance knowledge and practice.
In response to the report, the Provincial Government provided funding to create the BC Addiction Foundation. Its mandate was to affect public policy by fostering research that advances the prevention of addictions and improves the care of addicted individuals in British Columbia. The Foundation considered a number of options to pursue this objective. Acknowledging the interdisciplinary research strengths housed at University of Victoria, as well as the university's strong tradition of community partnerships and the expertise housed in the Centre for Society and Youth, the Foundation invited the University of Victoria to develop a proposal for establishment of a Centre.
A Memorandum of Understanding between the Foundation and University of Victoria endows the University with $10 million for the development of the Centre for Addictions Research of British Columbia (CARBC), an initiative that will build expertise in addictions across the province. The potential for research on substance use, harm reduction and addiction at the University of Victoria has been greatly enhanced. The Centre was fully operational by July 2004 and has grown significantly each year since.
In 2004, Dr. Tim Stockwell was recruited as the first permanent Director of the Centre. He has, in turn, recruited a team with diverse skills in research and knowledge exchange to create the Centre's current capacity.