Vancouver family who lost son to overdose donates $20 million to recovery centre

Jun 12, 2023 | 3:04 AM

VANCOUVER — A Vancouver family known for its philanthropy is making a $20 million donation to a British Columbia substance use treatment centre in memory of their adult son and brother who died of an opioid overdose.

Jill Diamond, executive director of Vancouver’s Diamond Foundation and sister to Steven Diamond, says her brother may still be alive today if he had received the care being offered at Vancouver’s St. Paul’s Hospital.

She says in a statement the donation to the St. Paul’s Foundation will help fund the hospital’s Road to Recovery program that aims to fill treatment gaps by cutting weeks off waitlists and providing supports to patients through a full spectrum of treatment services in one location. 

The Diamond family is expected to attend a news conference today in Vancouver outlining the donation.