Actions and Commitments

Call to Action # 18 : Health (18-24)

Building a recovery community with Siksika Nation

July 6, 2023

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NationTalk: MA new recovery community on Siksika Nation will support people struggling with addiction to pursue recovery.

Alberta’s government is expanding treatment and recovery options to help Albertans pursue recovery at no cost. This includes establishing 11 new recovery communities that will allow for long-term addiction treatment throughout the province.

Alberta’s government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Siksika Nation for the development of a new recovery community. With an investment of up to $30 million in capital, the new 75-bed facility will provide holistic addiction treatment services for up to 300 people every year.

“Recovery is possible for those suffering from addiction. That’s why this partnership with the Siksika Nation is so important. Together, we will work to increase access to land-based addiction treatment and healing across the province. Building a recovery community with the Siksika Nation is one more step in expanding our recovery-oriented system of care that meets the needs in our province.”
Danielle Smith, Premier

“We are proud to partner with Siksika Nation to build a recovery community that will make a difference in the lives of the people in this community. The Siksika recovery community will incorporate Indigenous treatment and healing so that more people struggling with addiction can get the help they need and deserve.”
Dan Williams, Minister of Mental Health and Addiction

Working closely with First Nations 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.

“Alberta’s government is committed to partnering with Indigenous leadership to improve community access to culturally appropriate supports and services. This MOU is what reconciliation is all about: government and First Nations working together to achieve better outcomes. We all need and deserve reliable access to high-quality health care, especially supports for addiction and mental health services.”
Rick Wilson, Minister of Indigenous Relations

“We are excited to begin the building of a 75-bed treatment centre on Siksika Nation. This treatment centre will be able to help address many of the addiction issues some of our Nation members are suffering through. Siksika has a proven track record of opening our facilities for the benefit of our neighbouring communities, and this facility will also benefit southern Albertans as well. Siksika will continue to seek support services to help with the entire recovery process, as we also realize the treatment centre is one part of the recovery process. We look forward to future collaborations with the province and federal government to help improve the quality of life for all Siksika and Alberta residents.”
Chief Ouray Crowfoot, Siksika Nation

“Siksika Nation is grateful to partner with Alberta’s government for this unique facility. We can now provide our people with a solution to addiction and begin a path of recovery. With the ability to incorporate our spiritual ways to the structured programming, our relatives can begin much-needed healing in our community.”
Ruben Breaker, councillor, Siksika Nation and member, Calgary Public Safety and Community Response Task Force

The construction of a recovery community on Siksika 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 health care. 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.

Quick facts

  • Recovery communities are a form of long-term treatment for addiction used in more than 65 countries around the world.
  • Treatment at publicly funded recovery communities is free for all Albertans.
  • Construction of the Siksika recovery community is expected to begin in 2024.
  • Alberta’s government is partnering with First Nations to build recovery communities on Siksika Nation, Tsuut’ina Nation, Enoch Cree Nation and Blood Tribe lands.
  • Albertans struggling with opioid addiction can contact the Virtual Opioid Dependency Program (VODP) by calling 1-844-383-7688, seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. VODP provides same-day access to addiction medicine specialists. There is no wait list.

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