Saskatchewan prepares for involuntary addictions treatment as questions remain

Slowly but surely, the Saskatchewan government is moving toward involuntary addiction treatment for people who may not be capable of seeking help themselves. The Compassionate Intervention Act, which passed in the legislature in May, will support people with severe addictions who are unable to seek help, despite serious health and safety risks.

Initially, the province said the system would come into effect this fall, but timelines are being pushed back.

“With something of this magnitude, we just want to make sure we do it right out of the gate,” said Mental Health and Addictions minister Lori Carr.

The government says once the facility opens in North Battleford people can be referred by family members, doctors or police. For now, the province says it is still setting up the teams and tribunals that will evaluate individuals.

The new approach comes amidst a deepening addictions crisis.

According to the city of Saskatoon, the Saskatoon Fire Department has responded to 3,109 overdose calls as of Sept. 22 this year.

That’s up dramatically from 1,282 in 2024 and 2,548 last year.

Wendy Gore–Hickman is watching the rollout very closely. She has helped hundreds of people struggling with addictions find their way to treatment following her own struggles with alcohol more than two decades ago.

The retired physician and recovery advocate says many people with severe addictions don’t want to be using but continue to use, simply to avoid withdrawal.

“99 per cent of people that get into treatment say it was the best thing they ever did for themselves, whether they wanted to go to begin with or not,” said Gore–Hickman.

She is very optimistic involuntary treatment will be useful.

But Brian Salte with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan isn’t so sure.

He says there are too many questions about how it will work.

“We are really in uncharted waters here,” said Salte.

He wants more details on how decisions to force someone into treatment will be made.

“There’s going to be a lot of devil in the details, right? We don’t have details, so we feel that it’s really critically important that the tribunals be trained to try to deal with something that nobody’s ever done before,” Salte added.

Salte also says the medical evidence remains thin on whether involuntary treatment will actually work. He says there just isn’t enough data to draw from to prove it does.

Salte also worries resources will be taken away from people seeking treatment voluntarily.

“Seems very strange to be allocating resources to involuntary treatments in a scenario where we don’t have sufficient resources for voluntary treatment,” Salte contends.

He says Saskatchewan is already facing shortages in addiction treatment resources.

“Insufficient number of addictions counselors, there’s an insufficient number of physicians with expertise in this area, there’s insufficient number of places where you can actually provide this kind of treatment,” Salte added.

There are also questions over who has a voice in developing the new system.

The First Nations Health Ombudsperson’s (FNHOO) office says it has reached out to the province and is still waiting for a response.

“I had my executive assistant send another e-mail. I’m concerned about it. Like, I’m not sure what’s going on actually,” said Dianne Lafond.

Lafond says any system involving treatment needs culturally appropriate care.

The province says it continues to work with various groups, including an Indigenous wing within the ministry, to consult with organizations as it sets up the tribunals.

More details on what involuntary treatment will look like in Saskatchewan are expected later this fall or early winter.

For now, the province is still working to bring the pieces together that will take the compassionate intervention act from a law in the books to assist in practice in Saskatchewan. We can expect more details either later this fall, or early winter.