REGINA - A new 20-bed recovery & wellness centre will be built on the Ochapowace Nation, helping those dealing with drug addictions and mental health struggles.
In a media event held on Tuesday at the Hill Towers in Regina, it was revealed the Ochapowace Nêhiyawêwin Land-Based Recovery & Wellness Centre will be funded partially by the Mosaic Company, which is investing $500,000 over the next two years to support the construction of the site, as the development is expected to cost $6 million. The rest of the money will come from the Cree First Nation raising capital funds.
Ochapowace Nation Chief Shelley A. Bear said the site was needed as the area was in a state of emergency.
The state of emergency was called due to the number of suicides in the area, along with the drug and overdoses the Cree First Nation was dealing with.
Even though individuals living on the Ochapowace Nation could get help with nearby detox centres, like the one that opened up in Sept. at the Kahkewistahaw First Nation, Bear noted people would go home after getting treatment at detox centres because they had to wait a long time to get into treatment centres. So, addicts would repeat the same cycle, which would cause individuals to eventually lose their lives.
During COVID-19, Bear noted that there was an extended period where treatment centres were not open. When the centres finally opened, the waitlists were close to a year.
With having a recovery & wellness centre right in the local community, Bear said, "it’s something close by to work with our people." Bear later added, "who knows best than the people that are part of what's going on around the community in the center [of it]."
She also alluded to being able to keep the people of the Ochapowace Nation at home for their treatment rather than seeing them go to a different province or even country to get aid.
In attendance at the event was MLA for Moosomin-Montmarte, Kevin Weedmark. Speaking to reporters, Weedmark addressed recognizing the crisis going on in Indigenous communities. "It's vitally important, and addictions are an issue that certainly impact First Nations communities, but [also] can impact anyone."
Weedmark went on to mention the 500 new addiction spaces that the Sask. Party announced back in 2023 as part of a nearly $50 million investment to tackle drug addictions.
Of those 500 news spaces, Weedmark said the province is up to around 235 spaces.
In terms of people being able to get treatment faster, Weedmark noted "the province is going to be moving to a centralized system where people will be on one waiting list and go to wherever the treatment is available.”
A reporter brought up a topic regarding whether spaces like the new Ochapowace Nêhiyawêwin Land-Based Recovery & Wellness Centre can be built faster.
Weedmark responded with, "we'd like to get them done as soon as possible. But especially when you're building a new facility, you know, there are timelines that you simply can't push too far without compromising safety."
In terms of the cost for operating the building, Weedmark said the province will pay all the operating costs for the 20-space site after it opens as part of the Action Plan for Mental Health & Addictions . As for how much money that would be, Weedmark could not say the exact amount.
Looking ahead to new recovery and wellness centres, Weedmark pointed out the government is actively working with groups and hoping to announce new centres in the near future.
When asked if the government is looking to focus on certain area’s, Weedmark would not give specific details. But did say, "it's absolutely wonderful to see that local community engagement [on this project]."
Also in attendance was Mosaic CEO Bruce Bodine. When discussing the $500,000 Mosaic is giving to the Ochapowace Nation, Bodine was asked about the company dealing with revenues that were stolen from the Indigenous people.
Bodine admitted Mosaic has not been perfect, but "I [Bodine] think we've come a long way focusing on community investment, new hires, as well as our procurement… as well as our share of procurement in the province, with 15 per cent targets for each of those by the end of this year. And we are there on almost all of them and anticipate to be there by the end of this year. So again, we've got learnings that we continue to strive for to do better. We need to do better. I can't defend what was done in the past, but I can only control in our leadership team how we move forward. And I think we're moving forward in a very positive, constructive way."
Despite all that’s happened in the past, Bodine called today’s announcement as a fun day. Bodine is commitment to improving communities that surround Mosaic’s operations.
As for the facility, it will begin construction in the spring. The location of the new recovery & wellness centre will be south of Broadview, Sask.
