The Tsa̲kwa̲’luta̲n Healing Centre, an addiction treatment centre on Quadra Island, is set to open its doors on Nov. 1.
"It's a vision that the nation has had for quite a while," says Chief Ronnie Chickite of the We Wai Kai First Nation. "We've been working on this for well over the last year and a half, but I think this vision has been there a lot longer than then. It's something we've seen our people go through, not only our people but people throughout this whole country, let alone B.C. The Indigenous people are definitely struggling the most, it seems. So we wanted to take a step to help."
Formally a resort, the new healing centre was the brainchild of the We Wai Kai Nation with support from the province and will focus on treating addiction with a holistic approach based on traditional knowledge and Western practices.
"We wanted to have the long-term goal, which is to create an Indigenous-led traditional healing centre. We've seen them work, (and) we believe that the cultural-based approach combined with evidence-based practices can heal our people," says Chickite. "The clinical programming that we are looking at is going to be combined with 50 per cent Western therapies and 50 per cent land-based."
The centre will have up to 40 beds but will open with 20, with a mix of single and double occupancy rooms with private bathrooms. First Nations Health Authority and Island Health Authority are supporting the Tsa̲kwa̲’luta̲n Healing Centre's operation. The centre is open to anyone fighting addiction.
The province has invested roughly $7.9 million in the project. The money is going towards renovations and operations.
"What I have learned in doing this work is that culture saves lives," says Jennifer Whiteside, the B.C. minister of mental health and addiction. "Culture saves lives, and community saves lives. And that is why, in the face of an unrelenting and volatile and vicious and toxic drug crises never was there a time when we needed to come together more strongly, more profoundly, more deeply in the community to work to turn the tide in a time when it is most complicated to do that. We are in the midst of a climate crisis, global instability, (and) economic challenges."
Renovations include two wings for client rooms, roof repairs, safety and power upgrades, new common areas, staff areas, counselling and group meeting rooms, clinical rooms, administrative offices, facilities for art therapy and physical activity, and a cultural programs room.
Kristie Lamirande, an executive director of the centre, says clients will do their own laundry, put away their own dishes, etc.
"That's the idea. That's the shift we are working through. We don't serve them. This isn't a hotel stay, we're trying to teach the fundamentals of 'clean your room', 'get in the shower', 'do the laundry', 'change your sheets', 'do the dishes'," she says.
Lamirande says they are in a hiring process for a clinical director. The construction and renovations will be finished by Oct. 1, and then the centre will get the month to prepare. It will also give the incoming clinical director time to build their team.
"It needs to start going quickly now because, on Oct. 1, we need to get going. It comes fast, really fast."
