New legislation will make it mandatory for Saskatchewan hospitals to report all gunshot and stab wounds to local police services as of September 1st.

Reporting will be limited to the identification of the patient, the fact that they have suffered a gunshot or stab wound, and the location of the hospital facility where they have been treated.

 

According to Justice Minister Frank Quennell, previous reporting was discretionary and often resulted in confusion within the health services and policing communities.

 

Saskatchewan is the second jurisdiction in Canada after Ontario to enact this type of legislation, and the first to include stab wounds.