1939
 British Columbia MLA Ernest Winch urges Canada to follow Britain's model of providing minimal doses of opiates made available by legal means under doctors' care.
 
1952
 Vancouver's Community Chest and Council recommends provinces across Canada establish clinics for chronic drug users so they can receive minimum dosages.
 
1993
 Fatal drug overdoses in Vancouver increases from 18 in 1988 to 200 in 1993. (A Framework for Action, Donald McPherson, Drug Policy Coordinator, City of Vancouver)
 
1994
 Chief Coroner of British Columbia, Vince Cain, releases a broad analysis of drug use in the province. The Cain Report states that vast amounts of money are being spent on the drug problem within the criminal justice system with little or no effect. The report calls for policy makers to recognize that the misuse of heroin, cocaine and other drugs is primarily a health issue.
 
1997
 The Vancouver Injection Drug User’s Study (VIDUS) conducted by the BC Centre for Excellence records the rate of incidence of HIV amongst injection drug users to be 18 percent. This is the highest HIV rate ever observed in the developed world.
 
1997
 The Vancouver/Richmond Health Board declares a health emergency in the downtown eastside of Vancouver. This is in response to the high rate of overdose deaths and simultaneous epidemics involving HIV, hepatitis A, B and C, syphilis and tuberculosis.
 
1998
The Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users (VANDU) is founded by Ann Livingston, Bud Osborn and a group of active drug users. VANDU has since grown into the largest drug user group in Canada, and one of the largest in the world.
 
1998
 BC Provincial Health Officer Dr. John Millar submits a report, "Pay Now or Pay Later". He states that the illicit nature of drug use is forcing users to criminal activity and jail and that there is inadequate provision of and capacity for addiction treatment for intravenous drug users. His solutions include tightly controlled medical prescription of heroin and a reduction in sentences for possession.
 
2000
 Between 1990 and 2000, more than twelve hundred people have died in the city of Vancouver from drug overdoses. (A Framework for Action, Donald McPherson, Drug Policy Coordinator, City of Vancouver)
 
2000
Canada Wild Productions begins to shoot FIX: The Story of an Addicted City
 
2000
Mayor Philip Owen proposes A Framework for Action: A Four Pillar Approach to Drug Problems in Vancouver. The Framework presents 36 actions falling under the categories of Prevention, Treatment, Enforcement and Harm Reduction. The last pillar includes a task force to consider safe injection sites in Vancouver and across the country.
 
2001
 After months of intense debate, Vancouver City Council votes unanimously to support the Mayor’s drug plan, A Framework for Action. Lacking a federal legal framework and funds from both the province and the federal government, most of the plan cannot be implemented.
 
2001
 The Federal Safe Injection Site Task Force recommends a pilot study on safe injection facilities proceed. The task force, chaired by British Columbia’s medical health officer, Dr Perry Kendall, develops minimal criteria for pilot programs of safe injection facilities.
 
2001
 British Columbia’s Provincial Task Group on Addiction produces a report, which includes a recommendation that safe injection facilities be implemented.
 
2001
 A Federal/ Provincial / Territorial report “Reducing the Harms from Injection Drug Use” is tabled with Canada’s ministers of health. A Task group to examine the feasibility of a scientific study of supervised injection sites is struck.
 
2002
 The rate of incidents of HIV prevalence amongst injection drug users in Vancouver rises to 30 percent. The rate of hepatitis reaches 91 percent. (the BC Centre for Excellence)
 
2002
 February. Mayor Philip Owen puts forward a motion to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) -- Big City Mayor's Caucus. The motion recommends that the Caucus identify three or four cities willing to join Vancouver to participate with Health Canada in scientific trials of supervised consumption sites. The motion is passed unanimously.
 
2002
 April. Opponents of the Mayor's drug plan push Philip Owen out of his own political party. The Mayor decides not to run for re-election as an independent.
 
2002
 November 15. Vancouver elects former provincial coroner Larry Campbell as Mayor. Both Campbell and eight out of ten new councilors are pro harm reduction.
 
2003
 September 21. Vancouver opens North America’s first Safe Injection Site.

Image from FIX