May 7^th is International Harm Reduction Day  

International Harm Reduction Day, May 7, 2026, is an opportunity to recognize not only the many health care workers who center their practice around a harm reduction approach, but also the peers and individuals with lived and living experience of substance use. Their voices and contributions are integral to advancing this work and supporting their communities.

Although harm reduction has been officially recognized since the 1980s and practiced informally for much longer, significant work remains across many sectors to expand its reach. Despite strong evidence demonstrating that harm reduction saves lives, many communities still lack access to essential services such as drug checking, safer consumption sites, and other life-saving supports. Stigma remains pervasive, often acting as a barrier to care and limiting access to health and social services for those who need them most.

At PMH, we acknowledge the importance of peer voices and the individuals who continue to show up for their communities despite ongoing challenges and barriers. In particular, we would like to recognize PMH’s two official Peer Volunteers, who have generously contributed their time, experience, and expertise to our organization. They have spent countless hours developing and maintaining the harm reduction locker outside the 7th Street Health Access Centre in Brandon, co-facilitating coffee programs, supporting the Healthy Sexuality and Harm Reduction team with outreach events, reviewing PMH policies, participating in health event booths, and co-facilitating Trauma- and Violence-Informed Care sessions alongside the Regional Harm Reduction Coordinator & Health Educator from Nine Circles Community Health Centre as well as supporting the development of the Sexual Wellness Health Lodge.

In addition to the Brandon peers, there are many more peers in Swan River, Dauphin, and across the PMH region who contribute in similar ways through the Manitoba Harm Reduction Network and within their own communities. We see peers showing up to respond to toxic drug supply poisonings and overdoses, providing harm reduction supplies at all hours of the day and night, and walking alongside community members to help ensure they have what they need to stay safe, including a place to sleep or a support person at an appointment. Most importantly, they offer compassion, care, and connection to people who use drugs — a group that is often stigmatized and marginalized by the systems around them.

PMH would like to honour peers not only today but throughout the year by acknowledging their efforts and extending a very warm, heartfelt thank-you. We truly could not do this work without the integral voices, leadership, and support of peers.

Throughout the PMH region, May 7 will be recognized with the following events:

• Brandon – May 7, 1:00–3:00 PM, Princess Park
• Swan River – May 6, 11:00 AM–1:00 PM, Elbert Chartrand Friendship Centre
• Dauphin – May 7, 1:00–3:00 PM, CN Park
• Health Sciences Centre – May 7, 8:00 AM–4:00 PM, Virtual Conference: Harm Reduction: Committing to Care.   Harm Reduction – Health Sciences Centre