Sod is turned for youth addiction treatment facility

“Partnerships demonstrated here in the community are very important,” said Don McMorris, minister of Health for the province of Saskatchewan, during his address.

The project was initially announced in 2005, but there was a slow down as the partnership looked for a location for the facility.

A portion of the health region land at Victoria Hospital was eventually settled on. With that hurdle out of the way, the project is expected to move forward smoothly.

“With the construction and ongoing work that is going on, it will hopefully open on time, which is slotted for September 2011 and provide a valuable, much needed service for all the youth First Nations and non-First Nations in the City of Prince Albert and area,” said Johnny Walker, corporate executive officer for Prince Albert Grand Council.

The next, closest youth addiction treatment facility is in the south of the province, near Regina.
While this will be operated by Grand Council staff, it is open for all youth to receive treatment.

“It works both ways, drugs don’t pick a certain nation,” said Grand Chief Ron Michel, from the Prince Albert Grand Council.

“We have similar issues and one day we’ll have to go side-by-side and attack these issues.”

McMorris said he is glad to see the work of the partnership come to fruition.

“We look forward to the completion … not just of bricks and mortar, but the rebuilding of young lives,” he said.

ahill@rawlco.com

by Angela Hill

Sod is turned for youth addiction treatment facility

paNOW Staff

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