Premier Jason Kenney (left) and Red Deer Mayor Ken Johnston toured the Red Deer Recovery Community with other provincial and municipal officials on Saturday, October 1, 2022. (rdnewsNOW/Josh Hall)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

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Premier Kenney cuts the ribbon on Red Deer Recovery Community

Oct 1, 2022 | 9:01 PM

The Red Deer Recovery Community on the city’s north end — a first for the province of Alberta — is nearly complete.

Premier Jason Kenney, along with Mayor Ken Johnston, Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Mike Ellis, and Red Deer-North MLA Adriana LaGrange were on-site Saturday in Chiles Industrial Park to cut a ribbon for its impending opening.

Officials say clients will start utilizing the space as early as this November, with construction set to finish by the end of October.

“Alberta’s government is making sure that every Albertan has the opportunity to pursue recovery from the devastating and destructive illness of addiction. The Red Deer Recovery Community symbolizes just how far we have come in three short years toward building a system of care that is comprehensive, coordinated and effective – with recovery as the ultimate goal,” said Kenney.

“This project, and new ones like it to be built in Edmonton and Calgary, will give more people a fighting chance to recover from addiction and build a new life.”

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Others are also being built in Lethbridge, Gunn and on the Blood Tribe First Nation.

Red Deer Mayor Ken Johnston, who was joined by fellow council members and City staff including City Manager Tara Lodewyk, called the facility, “a sign of hope for the people of Red Deer at a time when addiction has had such a significant impact on our community.”

“In the coming weeks Red Deer will discuss how we can put even more of a focus on recovery from addiction to build a healthier and safer community,” he added.

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Construction began on the building on Nov. 19, 2021. It has 75 beds, including 50 for men and 25 for women, with data around addictions showing men are affected at about a 2-to-1 ratio.

Once operational, the recovery community will offer residents up to a years’ stay where they will access services ranging from medical detox and opioid agonist medications to programs that improve other aspects of life; including skills development and relationship building to employment, financial and housing supports, the province says.

The province adds that the operator of the facility is still being finalized after a national competitive process took place. This will be announced once that is finalized and clients begin coming in.

Almost $25 million was committed to building the six recovery communities around Alberta.

The recovery community is located about one kilometre north of Highway 11A and Gaetz Avenue, along Highway 2A.