This honour recognizes a passionate and visionary health advocate who, during their lifetime, has made substantial contributions to improve the lives of people who use substances. Their outstanding contributions in health and health policy demonstrates an enduring personal commitment to community engagement and the advancement of health equity. This individual is a recognized national or international leader who actively participates in health advocacy and activities at a local, provincial, national, and international level, and mentors, encourages, and supports the growth and development of others to further advance the field.

This award pays tribute to Rainbow, a founding member of the Youth Health Advisory Council (YHAC) at the BCCSU and a vibrant and fierce advocate for youth who use drugs. This award recognizes a young person under 30 years of age in British Columbia who has helped advance the interests of youth who use substances through community engagement, leadership in advocacy, and activism in the face of discrimination.

This award recognizes an individual with lived or living experience with substance use in British Columbia who has helped advance the interests of people who use substances by engaging with their community and providing leadership in advocacy and activism in the face of structural and institutional discrimination.

This award recognizes an individual who has made significant contributions in advancing the interests of families affected by substance use and addiction by reducing stigma surrounding substance use, supporting local and provincial advocacy and education efforts, and providing leadership to families and their loved ones affected by substance use and addiction in British Columbia.

This award recognizes an individual who has made significant contributions in the development, improvement and accessibility of recovery-oriented services throughout British Columbia. Further, this award acknowledges the achievements of individuals who have provided exceptional leadership to enhance innovative approaches to service delivery along with both the quality and quantity of recovery-oriented services available to those in need.

Awarded to a clinician that has demonstrated exemplary leadership supporting the implementation of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines, treatment pathways and other practice support documents. This clinician champions education and training in effort to improve knowledge and understanding of substance use and addiction, and seeks every opportunity to share this knowledge widely. They have strengthened local, regional and/or provincial addiction and substance use activities across disciplines, academic institutions and health authorities, and are integral in training the next generation of interdisciplinary researchers, clinicians, educators and leaders in addiction and substance use care. Nominees are welcomed from any health care provider background (i.e., physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers, allied health, etc.).

Awarded to a primary care clinician that has demonstrated exemplary leadership and advocacy in support of system improvements to bolster the quality of care for people with substance use and addiction. Nominees are trailblazers who make extraordinary efforts through advocacy, education, and/or research that contributes to their community and the province, pushes boundaries, and has positively impacted the substance use system of care in British Columbia. This award has been created in honour of Dr. Jeff Harries in 2020, recognizing exemplary clinical leadership and advocacy for prescribers to screen and treat alcohol use disorder in primary care settings.

This award recognizes a researcher whose work informs policy and improves the wellbeing of people who use substances. It is named after former Vancouver Mayor Philip Owen who led the implementation of the Four Pillars drug strategy during the peak of the HIV epidemic and overdose crisis in the 1990s.

This award is named after the activist and unofficial poet laureate of the Downtown Eastside, Bud Osborn, who is known for helping people in his community to find their voice. The award recognizes exceptional work in integrating, translating and mobilizing knowledge in the community.