Battling our addiction and opioid crisis
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This article was published 12/10/2022 (233 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
On Friday, Aug. 26, I had the pleasure of visiting Morberg House, home of St. Boniface Street Links, to announce important funding to help address the overdose crisis in our city and province.
In Manitoba, we had 407 overdose deaths due to illicit substances in 2021, up from 372 in 2020. One is too many. Lives are at stake, and we must do everything we can to protect the health and safety of Canadians.
I was pleased to announce $2.5 million in funding for eight projects across Manitoba, including over $300,000 for St. Boniface Street Links in our riding. By scaling up prevention, harm reduction and treatment efforts, projects funded through Health Canada’s substance use and addictions program help people at risk of experiencing substance-related harms and overdose. This funding will provide support to those disproportionately affected or who face barriers to accessing services.
St. Boniface MP Dan Vandal announced $300,000 in funding for St. Boniface Street Links on Aug. 26.
St. Boniface Street Links has been there to provide individuals experiencing homelessness and poverty with access to services from addiction treatment, to counselling to legal aide and more. Throughout the pandemic, it increased its daily outreach to people experiencing homelessness in our community.
Our government is continuing to work with the provinces and territories — and community partners — to bridge the gaps in the health system and social safety net. Canada’s opioid overdose crisis requires collaboration from all levels of government, partners, stakeholders, people with lived and living experience of substance use, and community organizations across the country. Because it is only together that we can make a difference.
Organizations and agencies such as St. Boniface Street Links have the tools and capacity to meet the unique needs of the people they serve. Thank you to Marion Willis and the entire St. Boniface Street Links team for the incredible work you do in our community.
Together, we can help Canadians receive the health services and support they need.
Dan Vandal
Saint Boniface-Saint Vital constituency report
Dan Vandal is the Liberal MP for Saint Boniface-Saint Vital.