Treatment programmes
Five programmes covering opioid agonist treatment and the substances that most often sit alongside it. Each page explains how the treatment works, what the first weeks are like, and what it costs in British Columbia.
What we treat
Not sure which applies to you? That is what the assessment is for.
Methadone treatmentOpioid agonist
Methadone is the longest established opioid agonist treatment in Canada.
02Suboxone treatmentOpioid agonist
Suboxone combines buprenorphine with naloxone in a tablet or film that dissolves under the tongue.
03Substance use treatment
Opioids are rarely the whole picture.
04Benzodiazepine supportTaper based
Benzodiazepines now appear throughout the unregulated opioid supply in British Columbia, which means many people are dependent on them without ever having chosen to be.
05Nicotine and tobacco cessation
Smoking rates among people in opioid treatment are several times higher than in the general population, and tobacco ends up killing more of our patients than opioids do.
Not sure where to start?
Most people arrive unsure whether methadone or Suboxone suits them, and the honest answer is that it depends on your tolerance, your schedule and what you have already tried. Our comparison walks through how the decision actually gets made.
What applies across all programmes
- Assessment covers every substance you use, not opioids alone
- Appointments are billed to MSP, so there is no fee to see us
- Medication is covered by BC PharmaCare for most residents
- You can switch between treatments at any point
- Continued substance use is never a reason for discharge
If this is an emergency, call 911. Overdose symptoms, trouble breathing, chest pain, seizures or an immediate mental health crisis need emergency care, not a callback form. In British Columbia you can also reach the Suicide Crisis Helpline at 988 or call 811 for HealthLink BC nurse advice.
Talk it through before you decide.
A first conversation commits you to nothing.