Saskatoon to Open More Addiction Treatment Spaces

Released on January 3, 2024

Mental Health and Addictions Minister Tim McLeod today announced 14 new addictions treatment spaces at Possibilities Recovery Center in Saskatoon, almost doubling the number of provincial spaces available at the facility. 

The new addictions treatment spaces include 10 for adults and four for youth.

"Building capacity to treat addictions is a priority for the Government of Saskatchewan," McLeod said. "These new spaces at Possibilities Recovery Center are part of our commitment to add 500 total addiction treatment spaces so Saskatchewan residents have more access to the care they need to recover from addictions." 

The new spaces will help adults and youth access intensive outpatient treatment in person in Saskatoon or virtually across the province. The virtual option (available to adults) will further increase accessibility by allowing residents to receive treatment while carrying on with their day-to-day activities, such as working, school and caring for the family. The spaces will be open to all Saskatchewan residents.

"It is great to see this investment in mental health and addiction treatment in Saskatchewan," Possibilities Recovery Center Executive Director Tanner Perratt said. "Our waitlist grew quickly when we announced the first 18 spots and these additional spots are an answer to that demand. I'm very proud of our team for the work being done to provide and maintain a quality service." 

Possibilities Recovery Center was one of the successful proponents chosen through the competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) process initiated by the Ministry of Health and the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) seeking addictions treatment services, including intensive outpatient services, inpatient treatment services, and recovery or transitional services.

Today's 14 new addiction spaces builds on the 18 spaces announced last November at Possibilities Recovery Center. This is in addition to the 36 virtual outpatient spaces through EHN Canada and 26 post-treatment spaces at St. Joseph's Addiction Recovery Centre in Estevan also announced last year. With today's new spaces, there are 567 pre-treatment, detoxification, treatment, and post-treatment beds across the province currently operated by the SHA and third-party partners.

In addition, 14 inpatient treatment spaces at the former Drumming Hill Youth Centre facility in North Battleford were announced in December and are expected to begin operating in early 2024. 

Negotiations are also underway with other successful proponents from the RFP and additional addictions treatment spaces will be announced in the coming months.

The Government of Saskatchewan has also recently issued a Request for Supplier Qualification for approximately 250 more addictions treatment spaces across the province.

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