Addiction, Mental Health & Recovery

After listening to residents, healthcare workers, first responders, families, business owners, and people with lived experience, I've reached another important conclusion.

Recovery must become one of Winnipeg's highest priorities. People deserve the opportunity to recover, rebuild their lives, reconnect with their families, and become healthy, productive members of our community. Recovery isn't just compassionate. Recovery makes Winnipeg safer.

Residents are tired of watching people suffer without receiving the help they need. Families don't know where to turn. Business owners continue dealing with overdoses, public drug use, theft, vandalism, and people in crisis. Front-line workers repeatedly respond to the same people because the system is not helping enough people recover.

Recovery must become the goal. Winnipeg needs prevention, intervention, treatment, recovery, mental health care, housing supports, employment opportunities, and long-term support working together. This platform works alongside my Neighbourhood Safety & Community Pride platform. Public safety and recovery are partners.

The City cannot solve this alone. Manitoba must provide many of the healthcare and recovery services people need, and Canada must be part of the solution through funding, partnerships, and support. As your City Councillor, I will work with the Mayor, Council, the Province of Manitoba, and the Government of Canada to advocate for the resources Winnipeg needs.

• Advocate for recovery-focused policies.
• Build partnerships.
• Identify service gaps.
• Support prevention initiatives.
• Encourage neighbourhood-based recovery supports.
• Listen to healthcare workers, families, and people with lived experience.
• Report publicly on progress.

Work with the Mayor and Council to strengthen partnerships, improve coordination, support prevention initiatives, and recognize addiction and mental health as priorities affecting every neighbourhood.

Advocate for expanded and properly funded addiction treatment, detox services, recovery programs, mental health care, supportive housing, transitional housing, youth intervention, outreach teams, crisis stabilization, and long-term recovery supports.

Advocate for increased federal funding and partnerships supporting addiction treatment, mental health services, Indigenous healing initiatives, homelessness programs, housing partnerships, opioid response initiatives, research, innovation, and community recovery programs.

• More people entering treatment.
• More people completing recovery.
• Reduced overdose deaths.
• Fewer repeat emergency calls.
• Improved mental health supports.
• Stronger families.
• Safer neighbourhoods.
• Public reporting.

As a Registered Nurse, I've cared for people during some of the hardest moments of their lives.

This issue is also deeply personal.

My daughter struggled with addiction for many years. She experienced homelessness, periods of stability, and setbacks. She later developed cancer. During her struggle with addiction, she was unable to seek treatment early enough, and I lost my daughter.

I know firsthand what addiction does to the person living with it and to the family that loves them. Recovery isn't just policy to me. It's personal.

If elected, I will regularly report back on recovery initiatives, mental health investments, partnerships, funding, challenges, successes, and opportunities for improvement.

Let's Make Change Together.