Lumsden addictions treatment centre now accepting patients

WATCH: The Willowview Recovery Centre near Lumsden is now accepting patients after the centre stirred up controversy over delays.

After some delays in opening, Lumsden’s addiction treatment centre has started intake for inpatient spaces.

On Jan. 21, intake started for 20 inpatient spaces at the EHN Willowview Recovery Centre, which is the largest addictions treatment centre in Saskatchewan, according to a release from the province.

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The centre has space for 60 patients and was first announced by the Government of Saskatchewan in January 2024 to open in the spring of 2024.

The delay in opening stirred some controversy and the provincial NDP had called for an investigation earlier this month.

According to one of the centre’s former employees, the waitlist had already reached 200 people when she left in October.

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Speaking to reporters on Friday, provincial NDP Leader Carla Beck expressed her frustration with the government’s response to the addiction crisis in Saskatchewan.

“The fact that they’ve had to now re-announce spaces that should have been not only open the first time that they announced them, but frankly, there should have been a response to the addictions crisis that we’ve seen in this province, a growing addictions crisis for over a decade,” she said.

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Since October 2024, the centre has been offering outpatient treatment, meaning patients receive care and do not stay overnight.

As renovations continue, outpatient spaces will start transitioning to inpatient spaces, which would allow people to stay for treatment overnight.

The centre will give adults with substance use addictions a holistic, wrap-around inpatient addictions treatment for up to 16 weeks, the province said.

The centre is located about 20 minutes northwest of Regina.

-With files from Donovan Maess