PCs promise 1,600 more addictions-treatment spaces

Manitoba's Progressive Conservatives are promising to build more addictions-treatment spaces if they're elected to a third term in October.

Kevin Klein, the PC candidate for Kirkfield Park, pledged to spend $8.7 milion to build 1,600 treatment spaces over two years.

That works out to $5,437.50 per space.Klein said the funding is not contingent on contributions from other levels of government.

Klein said the PCs have built rapid-access addictions clinics while in office during the past seven years and accused the New Democrats of dawdling on addictions prior to that.

"TheNDP had 17 years to do something to help those struggling with addictions and what did they do? Nothing but raise taxes 14 times," said Klein, speaking outside the Bruce Oake Recovery Centre in Winnipeg.

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Klein said he is not certain where the new addictions-treatment spaces will go. Mathew Preprost, a PC communications official, said the government would issue an expression of interest document about the new construction.

The other partiesdismissed the PC promise.

Manitoba Liberal LeaderDougald Lamont said in a statement thatthere'sabsolutely no grounds for trust in the PCswhen it comes to addictions treatment, given what he called "the disastrous state of addictions treatment right now."

NDP spokesperson Rebecca Widdicombesaid the PCs can't be trusted to handle addictions treatment and accused PC Leader Heather Stefanson of withholding addictions data from health organizations and not following evidence.

Advance polls in the provincial election open on Saturday. Election day is Oct. 3.