Curbside Collection for Flood-Damaged Properties on January 3
Alert Level: Low
Another curbside collection for flood-damaged items and debris in the former Evacuation Order area will take place on Saturday, Jan 3.
Important Details:
Place items at the curb by 7 am
Loose materials must be bagged
Non-hazardous…
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The Abbotsford Journey Mapping Project (AJMP) is a collaborative research initiative led by the City of Abbotsford in partnership with the UBC Centre for Advancing Health Outcomes. Conducted in 2023–2024, the project set out to document the experiences of frontline workers as they navigated the substance use system alongside their clients—people facing homelessness, addiction, and a toxic drug supply.
Through interviews and focus groups with 49 participants across 25 agencies, the research uncovered persistent, compounding barriers: treatment that’s out of reach, services that don’t connect, and a system that often breaks trust faster than it builds it. The final report identifies five urgent themes: disproportionate supply and demand, the detriment of delays, drug toxicity, the absence of stabilization, and the critical role of human relationships.
This 5-part video series brings the Abbotsford Journey Mapping Project report to life. Filmed on the streets of Abbotsford, each short episode captures the stories, struggles, and insights of those closest to the crisis—from outreach workers and first responders to people with lived experience. These videos are not just reflections of what’s broken—they are a call to treat this crisis like the emergency it is.
Video 1: Substance Use & Service Gaps: “Drugs are Russian roulette now. Even a speck can kill you.”
This episode opens the series with the raw truth: we are in a crisis.
Frontline workers and community leaders speak from the heart about the people they’ve walked with—people who often don’t survive the journey. With treatment waitlists growing and toxic supply worsening, the system is overwhelmed. The report reveals what frontline workers and community leaders already know: they are asked to do too much, with too little, for too long.
Video 2: The Vortex Effect: “If it’s always no — eventually, people stop trying.”
Navigating the system isn’t just difficult—it’s defeating. In this video, workers describe how clients are caught in a cycle of referrals, delays, and inaccessible care. Whether it’s the absence of a phone, transportation, or the stamina to keep calling, people fall through the cracks. The AJMP report labels this the “vortex effect”—a system that loops back on itself and leaves people stuck, sick, and often lost.
Video 3: Stabilization & Housing: “You can go to treatment, but if there's nowhere safe to land when you leave, what's the point?”
Recovery doesn’t start—or stick—without stability. This episode explores how the absence of housing and wraparound supports leaves people in shelters, unsupported, or back on the street. Clients share fears about completing treatment only to return to unsafe conditions. The report calls attention to this gap—and the consequences of treating addiction without a place to recover.
Video 4: Breaking the Bottlenecks: “The moment someone is ready, the system has to be ready too.”
Here, we hear the frustration—and heartbreak—of those working on the frontlines. They know their clients by name. They know what’s needed. But under the current system, the window to act is often missed. Delays, disconnected referrals, and policies that tie their hands all contribute to a sense of hopelessness. The AJMP report highlights the urgency of investing in real-time, coordinated access and empowering those closest to the work.
Video 5: Impact on Our Community: “It’s everyone’s issue. And if it hasn’t hit your family yet, just wait.”
From emergency responders to civic leaders, this episode examines how the crisis of substance use and homelessness touches every corner of Abbotsford. Firefighters and police officers respond daily. Residents feel the strain. Leaders advocate for more support. But no one is untouched. The AJMP report shows that compassion alone isn’t enough—we need action, resources, and a provincial system that meets the scale of the emergency.
Full-Length Video: AJMP Documentary (19 min): "This system wasn’t built for the crisis we’re in—and until we treat it like the emergency it is, we’ll continue to fail the people who need it most.”
This 19-minute film brings the Abbotsford Journey Mapping Project to life through the eyes of frontline workers, individuals with lived experience, and community leaders. It weaves together the report’s five core themes—drug toxicity, delays, gaps in housing, broken pathways, and the cost to community—into one powerful narrative. The video captures the emotional and operational toll of a system in crisis, offering a clear-eyed view of what must change, and why it can’t wait.
Each episode above is a window into what’s happening in Abbotsford. Watch, reflect, and join the call for change.
