In one of the City of Greater Sudbury's first events since the pandemic restriction lifted, Deputy Mayor Joscelyne Landry-Altman proclaimed April Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness Month and raised the 'Be a Donor' flag at Tom Davies Square Wednesday morning.
"It's very important to highlight the fact that there are 1,700 hundred Ontarians on a waitlist for organ donation, the importance of organ donation and how it can save a life,'" said Landry-Altmann.
"So the next time you take out your health care card, look at the back and make sure you've clicked 'I am an organ donor.'"
Members of the Irish Heritage Club, long-time advocates of organ and tissue donation, were in attendance.
"So something like today demonstrates the need and importance for organ and tissue donation in northern Ontario, across the province and in fact the country," said Irish Heritage Club President Maryann Horan.
"There are folks that need organ and tissue donation to stay alive and improve their quality of life."
As a way of increasing the number of organ donors in Ontario, Nickel Belt MPP France Gelinas has introduced a private members' bill to use presumed consent, meaning individuals would have to opt out if they didn't want their organs or tissues donated post-mortem rather than people having to opt-in.
In a sixth attempt at changing the legislation, Gélinas tabled the 'Peter Kormos Memorial Act' last month.
The bill is named after Welland MPP Peter Kormos, an advocate for organ donation who passed away March 30, 2013.
Similar legislation has already passed in Nova Scotia.
According to Gélinas' office, Nova Scotia saw an increase of 40 per cent in tissue donated after it passed its law in January 2021.