Government of Saskatchewan ministries, Crown corporations and organizations are implementing contingency plans to minimize the impacts of postal service disruption.

Les ministères, sociétés d’État et organismes du gouvernement de la Saskatchewan mettent en œuvre des plans d’urgence visant à réduire les répercussions de l’interruption du service des postes.

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A number of pages on the Government of Saskatchewan's website have been professionally translated in French. These translations are identified by a yellow box in the right or left rail that resembles the link below. The home page for French-language content on this site can be found at:

Renseignements en Français

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Northern Alcohol Strategy

The Northern Alcohol Strategy (NAS) empowers and inspires communities to have important conversations about the unhealthy uses of alcohol. The NAS promotes community collaboration while using evidence and healing-centred approaches in order to reduce alcohol-related harms.

The initiative started as a grassroots project that successfully reduced the impact of alcohol on the safety and well-being of a northern Saskatchewan community. It has expanded to include partnerships both inside and outside of government. The NAS now responds to requests for support from communities throughout the province.

The NAS is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety, and the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General, within the Community Safety and Well-being (CSWB) branch. The NAS's work aligns with CSWB's framework and strategic focus on collaboration, information sharing and measuring success.

CSWB supports numerous communities at various stages of alcohol management planning by assisting with data collection and outcome monitoring. With their support, communities continue to successfully achieve outcomes that increase their safety and well-being.

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1. Approach

The NAS uses a collaborative, public health approach that emphasizes community development and empowerment. The approach acknowledges the unique needs and circumstances of individuals and communities. Alcohol use is addressed on a spectrum ranging from mild to severe. Recognizing the spectrum of alcohol use helps us understand the impacts of different patterns of alcohol consumption. Under the approach it is considered necessary to create interventions and support systems that not only respond to severe alcohol dependence, and also address binge drinking and challenge the normalization of unhealthy alcohol consumption.

The NAS is a multi-strategy approach* that focuses on:

  • Prevention and health promotion
  • Treatment and care
  • Availability and access
  • Safer communities

*Adapted from: Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction's Reducing Alcohol-Related Harm in Canada: Toward a Culture of Moderation (2007)

The NAS method acknowledges that the social issues affecting a community's safety and well-being are interconnected; thus, when communities address alcohol related issues, every sector is positively impacted (education, justice, health, business, industry). For this reason, communities are supported to engage with every sector in the planning. Locally or regionally led interagency committees may create a Community Alcohol Management Plan (CAMP) or Community Safety and Well-Being Committee to oversee the work and to design and implement a community action plan.

Communities are encouraged to consider inviting neighbouring communities (municipalities and First Nations) to participate in order to co-ordinate regionally, and to ensure that the people and services that operate across jurisdictions are working collaboratively.

Northern Alcohol Strategy Graphic Image

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2. Ways to Help Your Community

Working together, individuals and communities can help reduce alcohol-related harms in many ways. Some ideas include:

  • Sharing Canada's Guidance on Alcohol and Health with people in your community.
  • Addressing concerns in your community through municipal bylaws or band council resolutions.
  • Promoting family friendly, alcohol-free events.
  • Helping prevent fetal alcohol spectrum disorder by supporting women who are pregnant in their choice not to consume alcohol.
  • Learning more about SGI's grant programs that support traffic safety.
  • Starting the conversation early by having age-appropriate conversations with children and youth about healthy and harmful alcohol-related behaviours.
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3. Resources

There are many informative resources about alcohol-related issues and concerns that are available online.

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4. How We Can Help

Community Safety and Well-Being Community Program Managers can assist your community by providing support through:

  • Community consultation and support with data collection, compilation and analysis
  • Building partnerships and helping to bridge connections
  • Helping overcome barriers to planning or implementation of communities' plans
  • Providing templates that your community can use and adapt to meet your needs
  • Providing presentations that outline the approach and outcomes
  • Supporting community leadership in the development of their community-led action plan
  • Starting the conversation
  • Training in evidence-based approaches for human service partners

Northern Alcohol Strategy Objectives Graphic

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