Kenney announces funding for 4,000 addictions treatment spaces in Alberta

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has announced more than $80 million in new funding for 4,000 spaces to treat people with addictions.

Kenney says the money is part of a $140-million commitment to addictions and mental-health care in the United Conservatives’ election platform.

The premier says some of the spots will be new, while many of the beds have been underused or sitting empty because they weren’t funded.

Kenney told an addictions recovery conference in Calgary that too much emphasis has been put on harm reduction initiatives, like supervised drug consumption sites.

He says those have a role to play, but that approach shouldn’t be at the expense of investing in treatment and recovery.

He adds the funding for treatment beds and outpatient services is separate from a review the province is doing of the socio-economic impacts of supervised consumption sites.

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