NEW ADDICTIONS CENTRE BREAKS GROUND IN SURREY

SURREY – The official groundbreaking of the Phoenix Centre today signifies new hope for individuals recovering from alcohol and drug misuse, as the vision of an integrated addictions services centre becomes one step closer to reality.

The Phoenix Centre, one of four housing developments announced last December as part of the Premier’s Task Force on Homelessness, Mental Illness and Addictions, is the first to break ground. It is also the first development of its kind to combine clinical addiction services with transitional housing, employment and education services. The centre will have 28 addiction recovery beds, 36 transitional housing units, and an education and training centre. As well, it will provide health and mental health services to help those with substance misuse problems to build the skills, resiliency, and self-sufficiency necessary for successful reintegration into the community.

“Housing is the fundamental building block of inclusive, prosperous and healthy families and communities,” said Senator Austin on behalf of the Honourable Joe Fontana, Minister of Labour and Housing. “Transitional housing developments are essential and vital components to our national well-being as education, health care and employment."

“Access to safe, affordable housing is an important component in facilitating recovery from substance abuse,” said Brenda Locke, Minister of State for Mental Health and Addiction Services. “The transitional housing apartments will support the success of the Phoenix Centre by providing participants with a safe place to call home while they continue to access the support services they need.”

“By combining strong public-private partnerships, the Phoenix Centre demonstrates how various levels of government, and the non-profit and private sectors, can join together to build safe, healthy communities,” said Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum on behalf of council. The City of Surrey contributed $20,000 towards the development of the Phoenix Centre.

The Phoenix Drug and Alcohol Recovery and Education Society is the non-profit society that will operate the Phoenix Centre. The society uses an innovative approach to address problems of substance misuse, homelessness and unemployment by providing a continuum of support to meet each person’s unique needs. Two special features of the new centre include a commercial training kitchen and a floricultural business that will provide participants with training opportunities, work experience and enterprise development training.

"The phoenix is a powerful symbol of transformation and that is really what the centre, and our clients, are all about," said Roy Dickey, Board Chair of the Phoenix Drug and Alcohol Recovery and Education Society. "The Phoenix Centre represents a significant transformation in thinking about the complex issues surrounding homelessness and addictions. It is being created through the partnership of three levels of government, foundations, and the support and encouragement of countless individuals and organizations. We celebrate, with our partners, the building of the Phoenix Centre and transformation it represents.”

“This is truly a new and innovative approach to addiction services,” said Vancity Board of Directors Chair Elain Duvall. Vancity provided the Phoenix Centre with the $1 Million Vancity Award in 2004. “The Phoenix Centre captured the imagination of our members who chose it as the recipient of the Vancity Award, and we see it as an investment that will make a huge difference in the lives of recovering addicts and in the health of our communities,” added Duvall.

“We know that for people dealing with addictions who do not have housing, a stable and supportive place to live is essential for successful treatment and recovery,” said Cheryl Prepchuk, Chair of the Greater Vancouver Regional Steering Committee on Homelessness. “The Phoenix Centre will make an enormous contribution towards the Regional Homelessness Plan priority to provide a full range of addiction treatment services and housing in communities throughout Greater Vancouver.”

“At one time in my life, I lost my job, my home, my family and friends due to my addiction. I will be forever grateful for Phoenix,” says John Grant, graduate of the Phoenix program. “The Phoenix Centre is going to be a place that will make such a difference in people’s lives.”

“The Phoenix Centre is really community building community,” says Michael Wilson, Executive Director of the Phoenix Drug and Alcohol Recovery and Education Society. “I want to give special thanks to our clients who have informed the vision of the centre, Vancity members, and the many public and private citizens who have supported our organization in the development of the centre.”

The building of the Phoenix Centre represents a community wide initiative that is bringing together public, private and non-profit partners make this vision a reality. The Government of Canada is contributing $1.5 million dollars through the Canada-BC Affordable Housing Agreement with a further $829,325 through the National Homelessness Initiative and $270,000 contributed by Western Economic Diversification Canada. This amount is matched by the $2 million contributed by the Province of British Columbia, through BC Housing. Other community partners who have contributed towards the capital cost of this development include: Real Estate Foundation of BC, Vancouver Foundation, Vancity, and the Rotary Club of Surrey.

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Roberta Randall
Communications Specialist
BC Housing
Tel: 604-439-4734
Cell: 604-992-3305

Michael Wilson
Executive Director
Phoenix Drug and Alcohol Recovery and Education Society
Tel: 604-889-8350

Christina Wensley
CMHC Communications
(604) 737-4032
cwensley@cmhc-schl.gc.ca

BACKGROUNDER
THE PHOENIX CENTRE

The $8.2 million Phoenix Centre in Surrey is a collaborative social and economic development model that responds to urgent needs for addiction services beds, combined with transitional housing and support services to address the complex and multi-layered needs of people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness as a result of addiction. Safe and affordable housing, employment assistance, health and mental health services are needed in addition to clinical addiction services.

The Phoenix Centre’s innovative approach aims to:
1. provide a “continuum of supports” to match the complexity of these needs in order to reduce recidivism to homelessness and addiction and,
2. support the community’s social, environmental and economic well-being.

The addiction services component will focus on early stabilization provided by addiction counsellors, a concurrent disorder therapist and a sessional physician.

The transitional housing units, accessible to participants once they have completed the addiction services stabilization component, are studio apartments equipped with internet access to enable residents to continue with back to work and/or school action plans while continuing to access the supportive services of the centre. In partnership with Atira, one floor of the short-stay housing units will be allocated to women, with Atira providing the necessary services. A collaborative partnership with Progressive Intercultural Community Services Society will ensure that the Centre’s services are accessible to the South Asian community.

Financial literacy and asset development programs are being developed to help people accumulate savings for education and safe, affordable housing to support successful independent living plans. Other collaborative partnerships will see the Satir Institute of the Pacific co-located on site as well as General Education Diploma and Adult Basic Education programs developed in partnership with Kwantlen University College.
The Phoenix Centre is expected to be completed by April 2006 and fully operational by May 2006.