ManitobaWinnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham says extending the time methamphetamine users can be detained under provincial law could ease pressure on emergency workers and give people a better chance to connect with treatment, but an advocate for addictions treatment says longer detention alone won’t work.Winnipeg mayor supports province’s proposal to extend limit under Intoxicated Persons Detention ActCameron MacLean · CBC News · Posted: Sep 27, 2025 7:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 5 hours agoManitoba’s premier says extending the current 24-hour maximum that a person can be held under the Intoxicated Persons Detention Act is necessary because the effects of drugs like meth last longer than alcohol and other substances. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press)Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham says extending the time methamphetamine users can be detained under provincial law could ease pressure on emergency workers and give people a better chance to connect with treatment, but an advocate for addictions treatment says longer detention alone won’t work.Premier Wab Kinew said Thursday his government will introduce legislation this fall to extend the current 24-hour maximum that a person can be held under the Intoxicated Persons Detention Act.Kinew suggested the new maximum could be “a few days,” saying longer holds are needed because the effects of meth last longer than alcohol and other substances.Gillingham agrees with the change.”By detaining people longer, it’s actually in the best interest of those individuals, but it’s also in the best interest of the community,” he said.Too often, people suffering meth psychosis are picked up and taken to hospital or a shelter, but are back on the street within a day, said Gillingham.”And then our emergency services are doing that same cycle over and over again with the same people.”Gillingham said the move must be part of a broader strategy. He pointed to the Winnipeg Police Service’s efforts to target drug traffickers and called on the province to add detox beds, long-term treatment and mental health facilities.Supports needed if Manitoba extends detention for intoxication: addictions advocatesThe Manitoba government plans to extend the amount of time highly intoxicated people can be detained under the Intoxicated Persons Detention Act. Winnipeg’s mayor supports the idea, but addictions advocates say wraparound supports will be needed with extended.Dr. Ginette Poulin, the medical director of the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba, welcomed the provincial attention to the issue, but warned detention alone could be dangerous.”With methamphetamine, we’re talking about acute phases that can be longer than 24 hours — even up to a week to two weeks for withdrawal,” she said.”Detention alone is not something that would suffice, but detention with medical support … would be important to help individuals move into safety.”Poulin said people held for longer periods should be monitored by trained staff who can guard against overdoses, seizures and paranoia. Otherwise, she said, detention risks sending people back into the community without breaking the cycle of addiction.The Main Street Project, which operates Winnipeg’s detention unit for intoxicated people, has also called for enhanced medical oversight and treatment supports if holds are extended.In a statement, executive director Jamil Mahmood said that needs to include providing “opportunities for mental health assessment, and active connections to withdrawal management and long-term supports, not simply extending detention.”But he said Main Street Project is “optimistic that reviewing and updating the legislation can be a positive step forward.”Kinew said the province is not considering mandatory treatment, but will ensure services are offered in secure facilities.The bill is expected to be introduced when the legislature returns next week. Kinew said he hopes it can pass before the next break in November.ABOUT THE AUTHORCameron MacLean is a journalist for CBC Manitoba living in Winnipeg, where he was born and raised. He has more than a decade of experience reporting in the city and across Manitoba, covering a wide range of topics, including courts, politics, housing, arts, health and breaking news. Email story tips to cameron.maclean@cbc.ca.With files from Mike Arsenault
Longer detention for intoxicated people would need to include addictions support: medical director
