Alberta will close drug consumption sites in Calgary and Lethbridge this June, shifting funding to services designed to connect individuals directly to addiction treatment, stabilization, and long-term recovery, the province announced.The supervised consumption site at the Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre in Calgary and the mobile unit outside the Lethbridge Shelter will close on June 30, with resources reinvested into expanded Rapid Access Addiction Medicine (RAAM) clinics, medical detox, recovery supports, and 24-7 outreach teams. Officials say the changes aim to help more people move from crisis toward recovery while restoring safety in communities.“Drug consumption sites do not help people recover from addiction. Alberta is replacing them with services that connect people directly to treatment, stabilization and long-term recovery,” said Mike Ellis, Deputy Premier and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services. “This is about helping people heal, restoring safety in our communities and making sure more Albertans get the care they need to rebuild their lives.”Evidence cited by the government suggests recovery-focused approaches yield better long-term outcomes than supervised consumption alone. Research from the Canadian Centre of Recovery Excellence examining the closure of the Red Deer overdose prevention site found no increase in mortality, emergency visits, or ambulance calls, while more individuals began opioid agonist treatment after the site closed..Rick Wilson, Minister of Mental Health and Addiction, said, “Drug consumption services do not break the cycle of addiction; they prolong it. Recovery-oriented care and treatment help people reclaim their lives, rebuild relationships and restore wellness.”In Calgary, services will include expanded RAAM clinics offering same-day counselling and case management, enhanced opioid dependency support with on-site registered nurses, medical withdrawal management at Renfrew Recovery Centre increasing capacity from 30 to 40 beds, and 24-7 Outreach Recovery Response Teams operating downtown to respond to overdoses and connect people to treatment.In Lethbridge, services will include a new RAAM clinic five days a week, ten medical withdrawal management beds for immediate stabilization, and a 24-7 Outreach Recovery Response Team. All services in Lethbridge will be based at the Wellness Shelter, delivered in partnership with the Blood Tribe Department of Health.Kerry Bales, CEO of Recovery Alberta, said, “Recovery Alberta continues to support patients suffering from addiction by providing evidence-based, recovery-oriented services, connection points along the journey and a path to recovery.”Budget 2026 provides $35 million for harm reduction and recovery supports, nearly $3 million more than last year. Alberta currently operates four recovery communities, with seven more expected to open this year, including five in partnership with indigenous communities.Individuals seeking support can contact 211 Alberta for information on local services..At the press conference announcing the closure of these sites, Rick Wilson, the Alberta Minister of of Mental Health and Addiction, got emotional when discussing the importance of hope when it comes dealing with those suffering from addiction. ."The big thing is, these people need help, I want to give them hope because I've seen what happens when you give hope," Wilson said, getting emotional. "People can recover, everybody can recover," Wilson added.
