Manitoba lacks capacity for addiction treatment: auditor general report

‘Our loved ones are dying’ As numbers show overdose deaths rose in Manitoba in 2022, advocates worry not enough is being done. Jeff Keele explains.

WINNIPEG — Manitoba's auditor general says many in the province don't have access to appropriate addiction treatment, especially in rural and northern areas.

Tyson Shtykalo says capacity does not meet demand for addiction treatment in Manitoba and people continue to experience long waits.

The report says delivery of addiction treatment is decentralized, records are still largely paper-based and data collection is poor.

It says there were 400 confirmed substance-related deaths in Manitoba in 2021, compared to 335 and 151 in the previous two years.

The auditor general calls on the province to make changes, including setting targets for wait times and implementing standards for treatment services.

The audit covered a period ending in June of last year, and the government says it has already invested more money in treatment programs and opened more supportive recovery housing units.

   This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 26, 2023