COLD LAKE - During a recent City of Cold Lake priorities council meeting on Jan. 16, the issue of financial barriers faced by homeless individuals seeking addiction recovery took centre stage.
Coun. Bill Parker brought up a specific case he heard about where someone experiencing homelessness and struggling with addiction sought assistance, only to encounter a significant obstacle – the need for a costly medical evaluation before being accepted into an addiction centre.
This raised questions about how individuals with limited funds could access the necessary medical forms for admission. MLA Scott Cyr was in attendance at the meeting, discussing a variety of concerns with City council. He responded to Park’s comments and expressed a commitment to investigating the matter and find potential solutions.
Parker highlighted the dilemma faced by those transitioning from homelessness while also seeking sobriety, underlining the financial burden of the $150 medical evaluation required for admission into an addiction centre.
“When someone is coming off the street, how do they afford $150 unless family or friends are going to come in and put that forward?”
In response to Parker's concerns, Cyr admitted he was not personally aware of the issue but expressed a commitment to addressing it.
"I haven’t had that come across my desk yet. I can follow up with the Ministry of Health and get an answer back to the council,” said Cyr.
The MLA emphasized his dedication to supporting individuals in their journey to recovery, stating, "For those trying to get into addiction recovery, I want them to get any and all help that they can get.”
He acknowledged the specific requirements for private addiction centres. However, he reassured council that discussions with both publicly funded and private centres were on the table.
City of Cold Lake CAO Kevin Nagoya intervened to provide further clarity on the core concerns. He emphasized, "The core of the concern is not the private side, it was more of the public side of when a person is at the rock bottom that they don’t necessarily have any financial means, and they want to be able to get help, but they have to get a paid doctor's note and some paperwork done for the doctors, and they have to come up with those finances to do it, is my understanding."
Cyr acknowledged Nagoya's clarification. He assured council that he would elevate this critical concern to those involved, ensuring that it receives the attention it needs.
