Shovels in the ground for Red Deer recovery community

Alberta’s government is building for the future with the construction of the Red Deer recovery community. Recovery communities, also known as therapeutic communities, are used in more than 65 countries around the world. This is the first of its kind to break ground in Alberta.

“The Red Deer recovery community will be the first of its kind to be built in Alberta. Alberta’s government is taking tangible steps to ensure that Albertans across the province have access to treatment by building recovery communities, funding over 4,000 more annual treatment spaces and eliminating user fees for all publicly funded treatment.”

“With a location identified earlier this year and a contractor now in place, the Red Deer recovery community is moving steadily forward. We appreciate the collaboration of multiple levels of government and central Albertans for their support of this life-saving facility.”

The Red Deer recovery community is being built on a 10-acre parcel of land near the Chiles Industrial Park, adjacent to Highway 2A, and is expected to create 136 jobs during construction.

Construction is expected to be completed by fall 2022. The recovery community will start admitting clients soon after that. Once operational, the recovery community will create more than 100 jobs.

Recovery communities are a form of long-term residential treatment that focus on supporting people who are pursuing recovery. Recovery is seen as a gradual, ongoing process of cognitive change through clinical and peer interventions aimed at improving a person’s overall well-being.

New recovery communities will be fully funded by Alberta’s government. Any Albertan seeking recovery can access the life-saving treatment services that will be provided.

“This recovery community is more than simply a building – it is a symbol of hope that our community and province desperately needs. Helping people enter recovery from addiction and lead a more fulfilling, productive life helps us all. Thank you to the provincial government for adding this support to the City of Red Deer.”

“People struggling with addiction and mental health challenges in Red Deer need a place where they can pursue long-term recovery. I’m proud that our government is ensuring that, through a holistic approach, the people of Red Deer have access to treatment and recovery.”

“I’m excited the Red Deer location is the first recovery community in Alberta to get shovels in the ground. Helping people end their reliance on substances affects everyone around them as well as the community as a whole. I can’t wait to see the recovery community in action.”  

Alberta’s Recovery Plan is helping Albertans access life-saving addiction and mental health-related prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery resources. A $140-million investment over four years is supporting the addition of 4,000 new publicly funded addiction treatment spaces; the elimination of daily user fees for publicly funded residential addiction treatment; a new patient matching tool Recovery Access Alberta; and services to reduce harm, such as the Digital Overdose Response system (DORS), the introduction of a nasal naloxone pilot and the expansion of opioid agonist therapy.

Quick facts

• Construction of the Red Deer 75-bed recovery community is expected to create 136 construction jobs.
• Synergy Projects Ltd. was the successful construction vendor selected through a standard government request for proposal process.
• The construction contract price is approximately $20 million, including the initial $5-million investment made in 2020 through Alberta’s Recovery Plan.
• Contact 811 Health Link or Alberta 211 for information about addiction treatments and supports available throughout the province.
• Albertans struggling with opioid use anywhere in the province can call the Virtual Opioid Dependency Program seven days per week at 1-844-383-7688 to access same-day treatment.