The new Complex Needs Facility will be located in this building on Ninth St. E. in downtown Prince Albert. (Image Credit: paNOW Staff)

By paNOW Staff

Safe Space

Work begins on Prince Albert Complex Needs Facility

Feb 4, 2026 | 1:17 PM

Individuals struggling with addiction and actively posing a threat to themselves or those around them will soon have a safe space.

Renovation work is starting on the new Complex Needs Facility (CNF) in Prince Albert.

The province said the Ministry of SaskBuilds and Procurement will begin interior demolition at the site on 9th Street East — the former SLGA liquor store building in downtown Prince Albert.

“The Government of Saskatchewan has been working with the City of Prince Albert to bring this facility to the community. I am confident that it will connect more people to the services they need to help them on a path to recovery,” said Mental Health and Addictions Minister Lori Carr in a press release.

Mayor Bill Powalinksy said the CNF will be a powerful tool for interrupting the cycles of addictions and mental health crises the community sees.

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“Up until now the onus for keeping the most vulnerable safe has fallen on our emergency services, who are not always equipped to deal with long-term challenges of this nature. Having a secure, health-focused facility where people can receive care for up to 24 hours before moving on to further treatment and services will be a huge step-forward for Prince Albert,” Powalinksy said.

Only police will be able to bring individuals to the CNF. After being monitored for 24 hours, they’ll be connected to services to support longer-term recovery.

The City of Prince Albert is holding an information night on Feb. 10 at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall to share more details about work on the project.

Both Saskatoon and Regina operate CNFs. Community Safety and Well-being Manager Anna Dinsdale said feedback from both facilities has been really positive.

“I was fortunate enough to have a look around the facility in Saskatoon and it’s a completely different approach to the one that we’ve taken historically, where folks end up in perhaps the police cells and get no intervention whatsoever,” Dinsdale said. “So, it’s a very different approach and my understanding is they are seeing success.”

Dinsdale said there are instances where the same people use the facility repeatedly, but there has also been successful cases where clients have moved on to access services as a result of the intervention.

Funding for the project, including renovations and operations, is coming from the province. The CNF will have dedicated on-site health care professionals and security personnel to provide care for up to 15 individuals in crisis. However, the province said work is still underway to find an appropriate organization to operate the new CNF. The CNFs in Saskatoon and Regina are operated by EHN Canada. More than 4,800 patients have been admitted to those facilities. Concept Plus Architecture and Engineering Inc. has been awarded the contract to design the new Prince Albert CNF. The next step will be to award the contract for construction.

The Prince Albert CNF is expected to begin operating this summer.

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panews@pattisonmedia.com