Alberta Government, Siksika Nation sign MoU for $30 million addiction treatment facility

By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Siksika Nation and the Government of Alberta signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU), July 6, regarding the construction of a new addiction treatment facility on Siksika lands.

Once constructed, the new facility will have 75 beds which will be able to house patients for up to a year in order to support their recovery. 

Expected to see groundbreaking in early 2024, the budgeted $30 million facility is estimated to take between 12 and 18 months to complete. 

“Addiction Treatment services is often limited or missing completely. This is unacceptable. We must do more to enable people to get the help they need to pursue recovery,” said Premier Danielle Smith. “Our government is actively working with First Nations to address these challenges and fund these projects correctly.”

Smith added the Government of Alberta is committing to fully funding the operations of the recovery community to alleviate the costs from Albertans who require the service. 

Minister of Mental Health and Addiction, Dan Williams, said the Siksika facility is one of 11 being constructed throughout Alberta, with the goal of being able to provide treatment to any who wish to acquire it without barriers. 

“It is our responsibility – I believe it is my responsibility, morally, for this government to step in and support immediately without waiting for the federal government to fund these supports directly,” he said. “For many people, this is the only opportunity they have to find some sort of support when they are drowning in this disease and this illness of addiction. To find that support through holistic, integrated community is incredibly important.”

Upon completion of the Siksika facility, Williams said the goal is to have between 12 and 20 people in treatment there right away before the facility opens up to its maximum capacity. 

The idea, he added, is to have some people go through the program and shepherd others along into also seeking treatment and support. 

“There are going to be life skills learned in this program, financial skills, there is going to be work that they would do in the program – of course, we are going to see them transfer out of that into work in the community wherever they feel appropriate to wherever they decide to put down roots,” he said. 

At the conclusion of the program for a given individual, there will also be supports into finding a new home to reside in, should they require a place to go.

Siksika Chief Ouray Crowfoot said he believes a stronger and safer Siksika will help lead to a stronger and safer Alberta as a whole, and wants to start the process at home. 

“We have had far too many people from Siksika, and not just Siksika but Southern Alberta pass away in the last few years of overdose, of drug abuse and of alcoholism. These issues are not going to go away … We cannot put our heads in the sand and hope that it is going to go away on its own,” he said. “Having this facility on the nation will help our people to get in (and receive treatment) in that critical window that they need to get into a facility. It will also be open for Southern Alberta as well.”

The community-oriented care offered through the facility will also be culturally appropriate for those enrolled, being uniquely Siksika as opposed to following a more cookie-cutter style approach to treatment.