Auditor General Tyson Shtykalo’s 55-page review reveals that only 25 of 57 recommendations from 2021 and 2023 audits have been fully implemented in Manitoba, representing 44 percent. The remaining 31 recommendations continue as works in progress across audited entities.
Addiction Services Face Ongoing Challenges
Twelve of 15 recommendations from a 2023 audit on addiction treatment capacity remain unresolved, according to the Department of Housing, Addictions and Homelessness and Shared Health. Key pending actions include establishing wait-time targets for services, implementing an electronic records system, and identifying facilities that fail to meet client needs.
The audit highlighted 750 confirmed substance-related deaths from 2019 to 2021, peaking at 400 in 2021. Suspected deaths totaled 1,556 in the three years after 2021, per Manitoba’s chief medical examiner. Preliminary 2025 data shows 292 suspected deaths from January to September, a decline from the same period in prior years.
Three recommendations are now resolved: collecting data on service demand, centralizing data processes, and having Shared Health coordinate training with government-funded treatment providers.
Addictions and Homelessness Minister Bernadette Smith stated that the NDP government takes these recommendations seriously, citing funding for new treatment spaces and related initiatives.
Court System Delays Persist Amid Staff Shortages
Six of seven recommendations from a 2023 audit on provincial court backlogs due to staffing shortages and outdated technology remain in progress. The Justice Department has fully implemented only a clear timeline and accountability measures for its electronic filing system, though the project itself is incomplete.
Outstanding items include strategies to tackle staff shortages, IT upgrades, and additional resources to protect judicial independence.
Justice Minister Matt Wiebe noted significant modernization efforts, including hiring more Crown attorneys and support staff to lighten caseloads.
Vaccine Rollout Improvements and Other Progress
One of three recommendations from a post-COVID vaccine rollout audit has been implemented two years later. The review provides limited assurance, verifying only completed recommendations without evaluating progress on others.
Twenty resolved recommendations from 2021 cover areas like preparing for animal disease emergencies, tracking government vehicle efficiency, and compensating residents affected by artificial flooding at the Shellmouth Dam in western Manitoba.
