Police forces and scientists across B.C., including in the Fraser Valley, are taking part in the province’s new pilot project to track and predict changes in the illicit drug market.

Track and Trace, a tool developed by Aidos Innovations, a non-profit science institute, in collaboration with researchers at UBC, uses a combination of artificial intelligence (AI) and forensic robotics to help police and health researchers understand the complex drug supply.

Lab robotics are able to analyze the chemical makeup of substances seized by police and the information is then uploaded to a secure database where AI technology tracks any shifts in these chemicals.

It can map out distribution points in the illicit market and will flag any emerging public-health concerns, allowing for better oversight of shifting trends in the street supply.

Nina Krieger, B.C.’s public safety minister says keeping up with the toxic-drug crisis has become increasingly difficult, as the “illicit drug supply is changing faster than our warning systems.”

Track and Trace, Krieger says, will “provide clear insights into supply changes and risks, and improve co-ordination across jurisdictions in B.C.”

B.C. is the first province to pilot this tool. The provincial government will put $300K annually toward the project for the next two years.

So far, 16 law-enforcement departments in B.C. have started using Track and Trace, including Abbotsford PD and Delta PD.