CANADA, August 29 - To help support people throughout their recovery journey, a new recovery community centre is now open in North Vancouver offering substance-use recovery support groups, counselling, group activities and community services. 

“Navigating recovery can feel lonely, especially beyond the treatment phase,” said Jennifer Whiteside, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. “In recovery, we know that community is important. The North Shore Junction recovery community centre provides a welcoming space where individuals can find support, engage in activities and build a sense of belonging, no matter what stage of recovery they are at.”

The North Shore Junction, operated by Lookout, provides supports for people throughout their recovery journey. Services include groups and one-on-one supports, relapse prevention, care planning, peer support, and health and wellness activities. Clients will also receive assistance in navigating the health-care system and connection to resources that can help them succeed long term.

“For some of our guests who come to the drop in, it’s a chance to not be alone anymore,” said Bree M., recovery advocate, North Shore Junction. “Before Junction, they would have been spending a lot of time in isolation. Now they have a place to come, a sense of purpose. In a couple short months, it’s starting to change lives, but I think ultimately this program will save lives.”

The North Shore Junction is the third recovery community centre in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, with services already available through the Vancouver Junction and Sunshine Coast Junction in Sechelt. Increasing access to recovery community centres is directly connected to the expansion of the Road to the Recovery model across B.C. so more people can receive seamless care from assessment to detox and treatment through to aftercare.    

“The Junction Recovery Community Centres are a vital component of our continuum of substance-use care,” said Miranda Compton, executive director, Substance Use and Priority Populations, Vancouver Coastal Health. “The centres support healing and connections to community, and provide space for participants to envision and build their next life chapters.”

In addition to expanding Recovery Community Centres, aftercare clinicians are already bringing long-term recovery support to communities throughout B.C. Since 2023, 33 aftercare clinicians have been hired in various communities, including throughout the Vancouver Coastal Health region, for a total of 50 provincewide. Their roles include connecting individuals to local supports post-treatment; offering clinical guidance, such as recovery coaching and relapse prevention; and assisting with personalized care planning.

This is part of government’s work to expand treatment options for people living with mental-health and addictions challenges. Through Budget 2023, the Province set out more than $1 billion in new funding over the next three years to ensure that people living with mental-health or addiction challenges can find, access and stay connected to the care they need, including $586 million for treatment and recovery services specifically.

Quotes:

Bowinn Ma, MLA for North Vancouver-Lonsdale –

“For too many people, the road to recovery is a difficult and lonely one. Recovery community centres play a crucial role in wrapping people with supports that enable long-term success and a place of belonging right in their home communities. We’ve seen success with the Vancouver Junction, and I am optimistic about the hope and support that this new Junction can bring to the North Shore.”

Participant and peer support worker, Vancouver Junction –

“The Junction has been one of the most wonderful experiences in my life. The Junction welcomed me without any judgment or questions, it also provided me with a safe place to be and belong during my recovery. It provided me with a sense of purpose by offering me a job as a peer support worker, gave me school funding to improve my professional skills and a chosen family, which protects me, loves me and genuinely cares about my well-being.”

Monika Stein, manager, Sunshine Junction –

“Sunshine Junction provides hope to all the participants on this recovery journey: people seeking care and their families, peer mentors and professionals, all coming together to build safety, meaning, and belonging through pathways of wellness.” 

Quick Facts:

• Initially launched at St. Paul’s Hospital and the Vancouver region in fall 2023, Road to Recovery makes it easier for people to get the care they need, where and when they need it. 
• The model focuses on providing seamless transition between services, from prevention to treatment and aftercare.
• From October 2023 until June 2024, more than 1,500 people were supported to access detox services across three sites in Greater Vancouver, including Road to Recovery. 
• Through Budget 2023, the Province is bringing the Junction model to four more communities, so people can access supports throughout their recovery journey.
• The Vancouver Junction, which opened in November 2022, has seen more than 855 people sign up for recovery programs and support, and has offered more than 1,175 groups and activities.

Learn More:

To learn how B.C. is building better mental-health and addiction care, visit: https://gov.bc.ca/BetterCare

For more information about Junction, visit: https://junctionbc.ca

For more information about the Road to Recovery model, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/RecoveryGraphic.pdf

For more information about mental-health and substance-use supports in B.C., visit: https://helpstartshere.gov.bc.ca