Residents will have an opportunity next week to ask questions and review updated plans for Prince Albert’s upcoming Complex Needs Facility during a public open house at the City Hall Foyer.
The open house is scheduled for, Feb, 10 from 5:30 p.m. to 7p.m. at the City Foyer and will use a drop-in format.
The session, scheduled as part of council’s contract zoning approval for the project, is intended to provide direct access to information and representatives involved in the facility’s development.
Anna Dinsdale, the city’s community safety and well-being manager, said the open house fulfills a requirement set by council when it approved the zoning agreement.
“When the contract zoning agreement was approved by council, one of the parts of that approval process was that there should be an information session available to the public before the facility opens,” Dinsdale said.
She described the event as an opportunity for residents to view project materials and speak with officials.
“It’s an opportunity for members of the public to come in, have a look at some of the information that’s on display, and speak directly to individuals from the province, from health, from corrections, and also from the Prince Albert Police Service as well as city officials,” she said.
Representatives from the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Community Safety, EHN Canada which operates similar facilities in Regina and Saskatoon, Prince Albert Police and city officials are expected to attend. Frontline facility staff will not be present.
The facility, located at 99 9th Street East, is designed to provide short-term secure care for individuals brought in by police due to public intoxication, disorderly behaviour or drug-related distress, often connected to mental health or addiction challenges.
Dinsdale said demolition work is expected to begin in February, with renovations starting in March. While the facility was initially anticipated to open in spring 2026, the timeline has shifted.
“The anticipated opening time, which originally was Spring 2026, is now estimated to be summer 2026,” she said.
The project has drawn feedback on social media, and a public hearing held last year, particularly regarding safety and its downtown location. Dinsdale said the information session was not organized in response to that feedback.
“The information session isn’t something that we’ve done in response to criticism. It was something that council asked us to do,” she said.
She encouraged residents with questions to attend.
“If you do have any questions, rather than relying on misinformation on social media, I would encourage people to come in and find out the facts for themselves.”
Feedback collected at the session will be led by the province, with comment sheets available for attendees.
arjun.pillai@paherald.sk.ca
