Criticism mounts of Manitoba’s Addictions Services Act: ‘creating more barriers’

Aaron Arbour stands beside the words “RIP Connor” in a Winnipeg back lane.

It’s a small memorial written in green spray paint Arbour made for an overdose victim.

Arbour says that spray-painted message, though illegal, is his way of ensuring those in the community who lost their lives to the overdose crisis – many of which he knew personally – are not forgotten.

“These are people too,” he said. “They have a family. They have friends. They have people who rely on them. People who think about them and they don’t deserve this.”

Earlier this week, the Manitoba government came under fire from the Opposition NDP and advocates on the front line of the overdose crisis.

Those critics say the province’s new Addictions Services Act, which will license supervised consumption sites, will “kill people” in Manitoba.

“It’s creating more barriers,” said Arbour. “They say they’re trying to do it to open more safe injection sites, but it’s just limiting access.”

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READ MORE:

• Planned Manitoba rules are a barrier to safe drug consumption sites, critics charge
• Bennett backs supervised consumption sites day after Manitoba bill on licensing them

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Arbour, an aspiring street artist, has dealt with drug-use and homelessness. He now works for one of the largest shelters in the city and the small memorials are his way of remembering some of the people in the community who lost their life to the drug-poisoning crisis.

He says if people had better access to harm reduction supports like supervised consumption, they may still be here today.

“Absolutely,” said Arbour. “The harm reduction is a proven and effective way of doing things – the abstinence model just doesn’t work. A lot of these people, if they had access to get their drugs checked, or a safe place to do it, or even a good supply of Narcan, because even that’s a problem sometimes.”

Asked about concerns the Addiction Services Act would further the crisis, which saw more than 377 Manitobans die in 2022, Premier Heather Stefanson would not take questions from CityNews, nor would Community Wellness Minister Janice Morley-Lecomte.

WATCH: Advocates want Manitoba’s Addiction Services Act scrapped

Families Minister Rochelle Squires says the province is taking swift action to address the crisis and says the government’s dialogue with stakeholders is ongoing.

“My heart goes out to everybody who is struggling with addictions, or are unsheltered, or are suffering from a myriad of problems,” said Squires, the MLA for Riel.

“Our government has always been open to consultation and I’m certain my colleague will be meeting with all of her stakeholders, as all members of the government have done, consistently. I know when we were consulting for our homelessness strategy, we met with 400 people, 100 of whom have lived experience.”