REGINA - The opposition New Democrats are again hammering the Sask Party government over a Lumsden treatment facility that is still not yet fully operational.
The Willowview Recovery Centre operated by EHN Canada was announced in January of last year. But as of January 2025, the proposed 60-bed facility is still not yet fully operational as renovations remain under way at the site to bring the building up to code. Instead of 24/7 treatment, the centre has offered virtual treatment and daytime hours of operation in the meantime.
The Opposition made it known Thursday they have run out of patience. At a news conference at the legislature, NDP critic for mental health and addictions Betty Nippi-Albright called for a full scale investigation.
“Earlier this week, the Saskatchewan New Democrats filed several Freedom of Information requests about the facility in hopes of getting the answers for the Saskatchewan taxpayers,” Nippi-Albright said.
“Today, I will be personally sending a letter to the Provincial Auditor seeking a full investigation into this alleged financial impropriety. This is a massive scandal. We need an immediate and a full investigation.”
Nippi-Albright also highlighted the grievances of ex-employees of the treatment centre. One of those was Mandy Challis, who was senior admissions coordinator at the facility before she resigned
Nippi-Albright read a letter from Challis at the news conference, which read as follows:
“I applied to work at this facility because I wanted to help people, But it was a horrible culture focused entirely on profits, not people. We spent most of the time doing dry runs. In the event, we actually did have patients at some point. Eventually, I got fed up with this and spoke out about my concerns.”
Speaking to reporters soon after the news conference, Challis held nothing back in outlining the issues she encountered working for Willowview. In particular, she noted there was a full staff there since May and June, “getting paid huge amounts of money, and there’s no clients there.”
Meanwhile Challis pointed out other community organizations that are doing the work are not getting funded. “We have people dying while there is a full staff out at Willowview, doing nothing.”
Challis said her biggest dislike of working in admissions was they had to “make a waitlist, with no date to give people. So we’re going through this process asking very invasive questions and then just leaving them to it. There was no opening date to give the people.”
She also said she found out about four people who died while waiting for their treatment spot to open.
“I had to deal with multiple overdose deaths that I would find out from family members during my time answering phones. Desperate, desperate people that just wanted a date. There was no date.”
Other ex-employees shared similar stories. Trevor Cyr said he was initially excited to see the facility come to fruition. But he made it known his time working there dashed those hopes.
“From my experience, it's like when I was there, I was there for the right reasons. To be there to help people recover, to do my part as a recovering addict and share my experience, hope, and strength. And as time goes, as time went on, I began, it's like the veil was lifted. You know what I mean? The rose glasses came off, and things kind of started to come to light.”
Frontline social workers hoping to refer clients to treatment beds in the area are also airing their frustrations. Regina social worker Rob Kraushar said when he first heard about this facility, “we were all excited to have 60 more beds,” he said.
But the delays have left him concerned.
“We are at a point where things cannot continue like this. And the only way it ends is with all these people dying, at this point. And that is something that many of us are refusing to allow.”
Nippi-Albright wanted to see answers to the whole situation. She said taxpayers have been “paying hundreds of thousands, possibly millions of dollars, for services that were not there for the people of Saskatchewan...”
“Every person in this room wanted to help. These folks, these frontline workers, wanted to help people. They understood, and they understand what's at stake. Access to a treatment bed can make the difference between life and death. Instead, we have a Sask Party government that was more interested in making headlines than actually opening up the facility.”
The office of Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Lori Carr has released this statement in response to the NDP news conference:
“EHN Canada and the Rural Municipality of Lumsden are working together to address building renovations to enhance the property’s fire safety. While renovations are undertaken, EHN is providing intensive day treatment services while they transition into overnight occupancy.
“Participants of the program are offered intensive programming that includes individual and group counselling and engage in treatment seven days a week. Participants will engage in treatment from four to 16 weeks dependent on the person’s unique needs.
“Staff at the facility are also available for after hours on call support to participants 24/7 in case people in the day program find themselves struggling when they return to their home each night.
“We anticipate making an announcement regarding the operations at Willowview Recovery Centre in the coming days, as renovations progress.”
