Sault Ste. Marie centre will help combat growing addictions crisis

The creation of a mental health and addictions institute in Sault Ste. Marie is making progress, with a formal funding announcement from Ottawa on Monday.

Makwa Waakaa’igan, a new mental health wing at Algoma University, will train the next generation to combat a growing addiction crisis, while serving as a place for Indigenous history and culture.

Ottawa’s mental health and addiction’s minister walked the corridors of the former Shingwauk Hall Residential School, discussing the history, and trauma that still impacts Indigenous people.

That trauma, as well as the province-leading opioid-related deaths in the city, are areas the new mental health wing at Algoma aims to address.

“When we work with community in community, using evidence-based approaches, when we understand what makes sense to meet people where they're at in community and track the data, we know that we can make a difference in moving the needle on the opioid crisis,” Ya’ra Saks, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions.

Saks was in the Sault to formally announce $5 million to top up the federal contribution to $12 million for Makwa Waakaa’igan, the $43 million mental health and addiction centre being built off of Shingwauk Hall.

Makwa Waakaa’igan, a new mental health wing at Algoma University, will train the next generation to combat a growing addiction crisis, while serving as a place for Indigenous history and culture. (Photo from video)

The three-storey expansion will include a cultural centre to preserve residential school records and hold ceremonies.

The university is also partnered with the Northern Ontario School of Medicine for research and training in mental health and addictions.

“What's happening now isn't working necessarily working,” said Mark McCoy, Batchewana First Nation Chief.

“So, yeah, this will hopefully move the yardstick forward for our people. Healing, walking in a good way.”

“Our goal is to have people graduating from Algoma, practitioners in the community being able to come and really look at evidence-based practices that are trauma-informed and culturally appropriate and culturally respectful,” said Algoma president Asima Vezina.

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“Our goal is to get treatment into a place where we can be working on prevention -- strong prevention -- and intervention strategies.”

The university hopes to break ground on Makwa Waakaa'igan as in late fall of this year. It’s expected to open in 2027.

So far, Algoma has announced $31 million in funding, and officials said funding for the remaining $12 million will be made public in the near term.