(Image Credit: LNN file photo)

By Haven Thibert

Province-wide shift

Lethbridge prepares to close temporary drug consumption site, funds redirected to recovery services

Mar 24, 2026 | 5:58 PM

The City of Lethbridge is preparing for the closure of its temporary supervised drug consumption site, with funding being redirected to recovery-focused services for residents struggling with addiction.

The transition is part of a province-wide shift by the Government of Alberta to move away from consumption sites and toward treatment, stabilization, and recovery programs.

At City Hall on March 23, Lethbridge Mayor Blain Hyggen announced that, following a letter sent by Lethbridge City Council to the Alberta government last December, the city successfully ensured that the funding previously allocated to the temporary overdose prevention site (OPS) will remain in the community.

The funding, approximately $3.9 million annually, will now be directed to addiction treatment initiatives, medical detox, and recovery programs.

“They deserve a life where they can get their life back, get their children back, their families back, a job, a home. This is where the focus is that I think on that the province has and it’s something that I’ve advocated for quite some time and I don’t want to see somebody on the street.” said Mayor Hyggen.

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The OPS, located outside the Lethbridge Wellness Shelter, is set to close on June 30, 2026.

In its place, Mayor Hyggen said residents will have access to a Rapid Access Addiction Medicine Clinic (RAAM), operating five days a week, providing same-day assessment, medication initiation, and pathways to withdrawal management, as well as a 24-7 Outreach Recovery Response Team that will continue overdose response and connect individuals directly to health and recovery services throughout the community.

These services will be delivered in partnership with the Blood Tribe Department of Health, a collaboration the mayor praised for its dedication to the city.

The Government of Alberta, through officials including Deputy Premier Mike Ellis and Minister of Mental Health and Addiction Rick Wilson, said research from the Canadian Centre for Recovery Excellence shows that the closure of similar sites, such as the Red Deer OPS, did not increase mortality, emergency department visits, or ambulance calls.

The study also suggested that more individuals started opioid agonist treatment following the closures.

Mayor Hyggen added that local data reflect similar trends: since 2023, Lethbridge has seen an 89.7% decrease in substance abuse deaths, a 91% drop in visits to the temporary OPS, and an 80% reduction in opioid-related emergency calls.

Lethbridge joins Calgary and other Alberta communities in this province-wide shift.

The Government of Alberta’s 2026 budget includes $35 million for harm reduction and recovery supports, with additional recovery communities planned across the province, including partnerships with Indigenous communities.

Residents seeking more information about available services can contact 211 Alberta.