File photo of Lethbridge Polytechnic sign. (Image Credit: Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

Lethbridge Polytechnic to receive stable funding for addiction supports

Feb 20, 2026 | 2:02 PM

An official with Lethbridge Polytechnic says he is excited to learn that funding for addiction recovery supports will be more stable going forward.

The Alberta Government announced that it will provide $3 million over three years through its Recovery on Campus Alberta program to 26 publicly-funded post-secondary institutions.

The exact amount each school gets varies, but for Lethbridge Polytechnic, Health Promotion Coordinator Lori Harasem says it means they can continue offering support for students suffering from substance addiction.

She explains that in previous years, they had to apply through a competitive process, always being unsure if the $3,000 in funding would be renewed.

Her understanding is that this is now being turned into stable, ongoing funding.

Nighttime construction on Hwy 3 in Lethbridge starts April 17

Apr 17, 2025

SASHA launches #BuyABed fundraiser to support vulnerable Lethbridge residents

Apr 04, 2025

$20K grants available: TELUS STORYHIVE Pan-Asian Edition opens applications April 1

Mar 18, 2025

“We’re just really excited to be able to offer this programming for our students, no matter what the addiction they’re living with or experiencing is, and that we are really a safe, non-judgemental support on campus in our wellness services department,” says Harasem.

Lethbridge Polytechnic offers a range of support programs and awareness campaigns around addiction.

Donuts and Discussion is a peer support group where students can discuss the hardships they are going through, such as substance use, self-esteem, self-worth, motivation and recovery.

Any time the Polytechnic is putting on an event that involves alcohol or partying, Harasem says they make sure to have a dry version of it. That, she says, can help to reduce peer pressure among students who are recovering, do not drink for religious reasons, or who simply choose not to.

For the same reason, students applying to live in residence can request to be paired with others who do not use substances.

The funding also helps the Polytechnic to put on awareness campaigns, such as National Addiction Awareness Week, which takes place every November.

Harasem says these programs go a long way in helping students who are suffering from addiction.

“From what the students tell us, it makes a difference.”

Statistics Canada reports that, in 2023, two-thirds of Canadians aged 18-22 had not consumed any alcohol in the prior seven days, compared to 51-57 per cent for other age groups.

While Harasem believes that it is good to see younger adults consuming less alcohol, it still happens frequently on college and university campuses across the country.

“A lot of post-secondary-aged students are recently 18 or 19, so just being allowed to drink for the first time, legally, they are out there experimenting, exploring, going to the bars and drinking and whatnot. So, when we look at alcohol use as a whole in society going down, we do know that younger people are still drinking, and sometimes, drinking very frequently,” says Harasem.

She adds, “It is definitely really important at this age to inform them of the effects of drinking, to give them tools so that if they’re being pressured to drink and they don’t want to, they’re able to handle those situations without giving in to the pressure, and just to give them information so they make healthy choices.”

A spokesperson for the University of Lethbridge says funding through the Recovery on Campus Alberta program is not tied to the partnership they already have with Recovery Alberta. The University will take some time to determine what, if anything, they will get from it.

Addiction support services are available 24/7.

You can call the Addiction helpline at 1-866-332-2322 or the Mental Health Helpline at 1-877-303-2642.

The full range of available supports can be found online at AlbertaHealthServices.ca