New purpose, same facility draws criticism over closure of former McCullough Centre

West of Edmonton, the McCullough Centre sits vacant in the small community of Gunn, Alta.

For years, the facility helped homeless men get back on their feet and treat their addictions. But last February, the province closed it.

“We had been told as employees that the center would be closing because the economy is in a bad way,” former McCullough Centre employee Michael Toepfer said.

The closure forced out those using the facility and more than 60 people lost their jobs, including Michael Toepfer.

But after a year of sitting vacant, the Alberta government announced Wednesday that with its 2022 budget it will re-open and renovate the site as a long-term intensive addiction treatment program.

“It’s surprising and also a little bit confusing,” Toepfer said.

He isn’t the only one taken back by this recent announcement.

2:06 Closure of homeless and addiction support McCullough Centre baffles residents, workers: ‘They have nowhere to go’

“Now they are reopening, with no significant changes. So what was the point? What was the point of closing the centre in the middle of a drug crisis that has seen the deaths of thousands of Albertans?” AUPE Vice President Sandra Azocar said.

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The province said this newly-renovated recovery community is part of a provincewide initiative and it will be much different that the former program, focusing solely on addiction treatment.

It said the 100 bed facility can serve up to 400 people.

In a statement, Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addiction Mike Ellis wrote the centre is being transformed from a housing to a long-term addiction treatment program “to introduce a new type of intensive addiction treatment not previously provided by Alberta’s government.”

“Treatment at new recovery communities will be fully funded by Alberta’s government and we look forward to welcoming clients in spring 2023,” Ellis wrote. “This is part of Alberta’s transformational change toward a recovery-oriented system of care that ensures every Albertan is supported in their pursuit of recovery.”

NDP addictions and mental health critic Lori Sigurdson said the province is going in the wrong direction.

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“Right now, we have a drug poisoning crisis in our province and what’s needed and what the evidence says is needed are harm reduction services,” she said.

Right or wrong, Toepfer said he is glad new addiction supports are coming, but he’s still confused over just how new they are.

“It could have well been renovated while still being operational, instead of cutting this resource out completely shutting it down for a year or more, and now presenting it as this great new invention that we have made,” Toepfer said.

Renovations will begin this year with a planned opening in 2023.