It only took weeks last year for this camp of homeless people to take shape in downtown Prince Albert. (file photo)

By Susan McNeil

Mental health and addictions

Treatment centre ‘desperately’ needed in Prince Albert: councillor

Mar 29, 2023 | 12:46 PM

One Prince Albert city councillor said his city “desperately” needs a treatment centre built to help the growing homeless population in Prince Albert, many of whom struggle with addictions.

Blake Edwards, who is a parole officer by career, was weighing in on an application by the city for federal money to help address the concerns, and said the province needs to build a centre locally.

“They need some help; they need the treatment centre— we need one of these in our city, desperately,” said Edwards.

The province has an obligation and a role in being part of the solution, according to Edwards.

Last week’s announcement of 150 new mental health beds does not cut it when Prince Albert’s homeless population is two-thirds of that.

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He said he hopes there are some good results, should the city be successful in getting the federal funding

“But it’s not the answer of all answers. I really want to focus on that, that this is a start, but people can’t rely on the city to solve all the problems,” said Edwards.

Brian Howell, left, with some of the other people involved in counting the homeless population of Prince Albert. The number of people on the street doubled in one year. (Susan McNeil/paNOW)

The federal money would come from the Building Safer Communities Fund and is earmarked for municipalities and Indigenous governments to combat gun and gang violence.

A full-time coordinator would be hired and given the job of finding ways to reduce the problem by identifying what causes the crime and violence and finding ways to use existing resources better.

The $1.1 million would be spread out over four years and be part of other efforts by the city to deal with growing homelessness.

So far, the application has been discussed between the city manager, the mayor and the police chief, with the proposal at Monday’s council meeting saying they are quite hopeful that it will be approved.

All of the money would come from Public Safety Canada.

City councillors have spoken out for some time about not being able to cope with the increase in the local homeless population that doubled in one year during the pandemic.

Last winter, council agreed to create a Chronic Risk Solution Forum, co-ordinate local groups that work with homeless and look into creating a housing committee.

Members of council, which included Edwards, and other advocates, have asked the province to step up with more support but have not been successful in getting anything tangible for Prince Albert.

In 2021, the city was named the third highest for violent crime and has been seeing increases in gun seizures by police, shootings, homicides and general gang activity.

PAPS Chief Jonathan Bergen announced the largest illegal drug seizure in Prince Albert’s history last week. (Susan McNeil/paNOW)

According to PAPS, there has been an increase in the number of “high-risk” people carrying concealed guns for self-protection.

Edwards said there is a lot more the Government of Saskatchewan can do.

“The province has control over areas like the Mental Health Act, which has some very valuable tools that I don’t think we’re utilizing to the fullest,” he said.

As an example, the Act allows for community treatment orders that give the system the power to take people off the streets if they are going to harm the community or themselves.

Doctors are often reluctant to use them, though, because they know there is a shortage of mental health beds available, he stated.

With the end of winter coming, the temporary shelters now housing homeless people will close, which means other residents are going to see an increase in behaviours like breaking glass, yelling and general disturbances, Edwards said.

“I just want to remind the provincial government that this is under the Mental Health Act, a lot of this can be handled,” he stated. “It’s very important that they don’t just say, it’s on you now. It’s on your city, you got the money.”

Edwards would also like to see other solutions such as an addictions court open in Prince Albert, like the one that is already open in Regina.

Addictions court allows the offenders to be sentenced to treatment rather than jail.

“A lot of people these people aren’t criminals. They are committing some crime, but they need treatment, they need help,” Edwards said.

According to Health Saskatchewan’s website, detox services that last between seven and 10 days are available in Prince Albert and there are targeted inpatient services from the Métis Addictions Council of Saskatchewan, the Valley Hill Youth Treatment Centre, a Family Treatment Centre and the Sask. Impaired Drivers Treatment Program.

The sold long term residential service in the province is Hopeview in North Battleford. Six pharmacies in Prince Albert offer methadone assisted recovery.

However, mental health beds for children and youth in Prince Albert stopped when the lone psychiatrist announced last year that he was leaving because he was overworked.

Recruitment is underway for two full time positions.

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com