EDMONTON, Alta. (RAJEEV SHARMA): Alberta is expanding addiction recovery supports in Edmonton with new pre-treatment housing designed to help people transition from detoxification services into longer-term treatment.
The provincial government is providing more than $330,000 to the Oxford House Foundation to establish two pre-treatment homes in Edmonton. Together, the facilities are expected to provide stable accommodation and support for approximately 140 people each year who have completed detox and are waiting to enter an addiction treatment program.
The Edmonton homes represent the first phase of a broader more than $10-million provincial investment aimed at increasing pre- and post-treatment housing for Albertans pursuing recovery in communities across the province.
The pre-treatment period can be a vulnerable stage for people recovering from substance use, particularly when there is a delay between completing detox and entering treatment. The Oxford House model provides residents with a structured living environment where they can establish routines, access support and prepare for the next stage of recovery.
Each home will have a house lead providing round-the-clock on-site support. Residents will also have access to addiction counsellors and recovery coaches who can assist them in developing strategies to reduce the risk of relapse and understand available treatment and recovery options.
One of the new Edmonton homes will serve men, while the other will be designated for women.
Mental Health and Addiction Minister Rick Wilson said pre-treatment services can provide stability and support during the period between detox and formal addiction treatment.
The expansion comes as Edmonton continues to face significant challenges related to the opioid crisis. According to the provincial government, Edmonton accounts for more than half of opioid-related deaths in Alberta, despite declines in opioid-related fatalities in many other communities.
Officials say additional pre-treatment housing is one component of broader efforts to strengthen addiction and mental-health services in Edmonton, alongside expanded treatment capacity and increased housing and shelter supports.
Oxford House Foundation executive director Earl Thiessen said the organization’s approach was informed by his own experience with addiction and homelessness. He said pre-treatment housing is intended to address a gap between detox services and longer-term recovery programs.
Pre- and post-treatment housing forms part of Alberta’s Recovery Model, which aims to provide support at different stages of an individual’s recovery journey.
The province has funded Oxford House pre-treatment services in Calgary since 2023. According to the government, those programs have supported nearly 1,200 Albertans to date.
The new Edmonton facilities will build on that program as Alberta expands transitional housing intended to help people remain connected to recovery services before and after addiction treatment.
