Paper cards will no longer be sent out to prospective Manitoba organ donors

WINNIPEG – Manitoba is moving its organ donor registry entirely online and is no longer sending out paper registration cards.

Health Minister Cameron Friesen says the change will ensure people’s wishes are registered centrally, instead of being recorded on a piece of paper that people may or may not carry with them.

More than 11,000 people signed up on the province’s donor website last year alone, and Friesen says raising awareness of the program should increase that number.

Manitoba is not following the lead of Nova Scotia, which is moving to a presumed-consent system.

Nova Scotia is set to be the first jurisdiction in North America in which people are presumed to be organ donors unless they specifically register to opt out.

Friesen says Manitoba is going to focus on public awareness for the time being.

“By educating Manitobans, we’ve seen a record number of them choose to make this step,” Friesen said Tuesday.

“I think as soon as people understand that this is important, they’ll take a step to do it.”