The UCP government signed a memorandum of understanding with Tsuut’ina Nation and Siksika Nation on Wednesday for a new recovery community facility..Alberta Premier Danielle Smith was joined by Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services, Jason Nixon, Minister of Mental Health and Addiction, Dan Williams and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services, Mike Ellis to mark the milestone in the relationship between Tsuut’ina Nation and Siksika Nation and the UCP government.."Everyone deserves the opportunity to heal and recover from the illness of addiction," said Smith, including "indigenous people living in Alberta."."In order to be certain that opportunity is available for all Albertans, we need to partner with First Nations in Alberta and support them with the treatment capacity needed to support people in their pursuit of recovery."."This is why we are thrilled to announce today the Alberta government will be signing a memorandum of understanding with the team to develop a new recovery community."."This partnership reflects our government's unwavering commitment to work together with First Nations to increase addiction treatment capacity across Alberta, building this recovery community in partnership with another essential step towards ending the addiction crisis here in Alberta.".Smith said the UCP government is expanding treatment and recovery options to help Albertans pursue recovery at no cost, including establishing 11 new recovery communities allowing for long-term addiction treatment throughout the province..The UCP government will spend up to $30 million in capital for the project, a 75-bed facility, that will provide holistic addiction treatment services for up to 300 people in the Calgary area every year..The UCP government said it is working closely with First Nations and its partnership is vital to removing barriers to comprehensive, culturally appropriate services in indigenous communities and an important part of strengthening recovery-oriented care across the province..The construction of a recovery community on Tsuut’ina Nation stems from the work of the Calgary Public Safety and Community Response Task Force..The Calgary and Edmonton public safety and community response task forces are responsible for implementing $187 million in provincial funding to further build out a recovery-oriented system of addiction and mental healthcare..The UCP government said the initiatives being implemented are part of a fair, firm and compassionate approach to keeping communities safe while treating addiction and mental health as health care issues..“Tsuut’ina fully supports an active approach to drug rehabilitation for our affected Nation members and the region," Tsuut’ina Nation Chief Roy Whitney said.."The scourge of drugs in Alberta has tragically affected every community. We will not give up on our citizens suffering from substance abuse issues, nor should any community. Let’s do everything in our power to turn their lives around.”
