Manitobans gather at Winnipeg’s legislature to mark Overdose Awareness Day

About 150 people gathered on Friday afternoon at Winnipeg’s legislature building to commemorate International Overdose Awareness Day, uniting in grief, remembrance and a call for urgent action.

The event served as both memorial for loved ones lost due to overdose and a rallying cry for greater support for individuals living with substance use challenges.

“I’ve lost personally 3 different friends to overdose, and it was all instances of drug poisoning,” said Victoria Romero, founder of Winnipeg’s Awareness Team.

Romero wanted to promote safer partying by providing safe substance use supplies and information about consent at events like raves.

“Any person who’s using substances deserves to feel safe, and they deserve to have resources available to them that can help keep them safe,” said Romero. “I think it’s important as a community we keep showing up, not only in solidarity for those who we have lost, but to make sure that we come together as community to prevent further, needless deaths.”

She says many programs offer help but also have a lot of barriers. Romero’s team is was at the event to meet with people and show their support.

“Every overdose death is a drug policy failure,” said Romero. “They’re completely unnecessary and we don’t need to lose any more of our loved ones, whether they be at a party or using substances at home.”

“Between 2014 and 2024, we had over 2,500 Manitobans die of a drug poisoning,” said Shohan Illsley, the executive director for Manitoba Harm Reduction Network. “Last year in 2024, we had 570 people die.”

Illsley, says opiods are now only part of the concern. Now, stimulant-related deaths are on the rise.

“As we shift to see people dying of stimulants, it means naloxone, which is the substance that reverses overdoses for opiods, will not work for stimulants,” said Illsley. “So we need some really robust, different changes. Different responses to the drug poison crisis.”

Illsley and other advocates are calling for Manitoba to open up public safe consumption sites and a safe supply program.

“This year we’re hopeful that we can move forward and see those numbers start to decline,” said Illsley.

Minister of Housing, Addictions and Homelessness, Bernadette Smith reaffirmed the province is moving forward with a safe consumption site, but did not provide a date or timeframe for when it would be available.

“We know that stigma itself is preventing people from accessing help and accessing supports,” said Illsley.

“You’re never, ever alone and there is always community here that is here for you and that will understand,” added Romero.