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As Saskatchewan looks to increase the number of available treatment beds in the province, a recovery and wellness centre to be built by Ochapowace Nation received some new funding Tuesday.
The Mosaic Company announced a $500,000 commitment over two years to help fund the addictions treatment centre, which is expected to cost $6 million.
“The opioid crisis is one of the toughest challenges we’ve faced,” said Ochapowace Chief Shelley A. Bear in a news release. “It is a pandemic that is not only impacting youth, but people of all ages. This project is a sign of hope.”
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The Cree First Nation, located in southern Saskatchewan, aims to open a 20-bed facility that will be available to anyone requiring its services. The centre, set to be built south of Broadview, is part of the provincial government’s 2024 commitment to adding more treatment options for those in need.
“Our government is adding 500 additional treatment spaces over the next five years — because we are focused on a recovery-oriented approach,” said Kevin Weedmark, MLA for Moosomin-Montmarte, on behalf of Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Lori Carr.
“The new Ochapowace Nation Recovery and Wellness Centre will enable people taking those critical steps toward recovery a way to seek help closer to home.”
Ochapowace is currently raising money for the project, but it will be funded by the province once completed.
The First Nation hopes to have construction underway this spring.
The centre will be called the Ochapowace Nêhiyawêwin Land-Based Recovery and Wellness Centre. It is designed to offer “traditional Ochapowace Nêhiyawêwin teachings, cultural practices, and a strong connection to the land,” according to the release.
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As part of its programming, “a holistic approach to recovery” will be implemented that “emphasizes physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Its programs integrate land-based activities such as hunting, fishing, gathering, and storytelling, providing participants with opportunities to reconnect with their culture and environment.”
The released added that the centre will focus on Indigenous values as a means to promote “long-term wellness and a sustainable path to recovery.”
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