A familiar figure in the field of addiction treatment is now the new Director of the Northern Ontario Addictions Treatment Centre of Excellence.
Canadore College announced on Monday that Wendy Prieur will take on the new position.
“It is exciting to be helping to build a holistic and inclusive treatment approach from the ground up,” said Prieur in a release.
“The new treatment centre will reduce wait times for treatment, provide different program services for clients based on individual needs, and connect primary care and mental health services with addiction treatment and recovery programs all under one roof.”
Prieur has been described as a leader in addiction treatment services for more than 25 years, developing and managing programs for addiction prevention, treatment and recovery.
“Canadore College is happy to be leading the development of much-needed addiction treatment programs,” said President and CEO George Burton.
“The Northern Ontario Addictions Treatment Centre will be a significant tool for the region as it comes to grips with the growing issue of addictions, and Wendy is just the person to lead the project.”
The Northern Ontario Addictions Treatment Centre, which will include a 53-bed facility, was announced in February 2022.
The centre will include withdrawal management, residential treatment, and supportive treatment beds, and services will be tailored to the needs of each client. Services will be inclusive to the region’s diverse populations, including francophone and Indigenous peoples.
Burton says Canadore College will manage the centre and use it as a teaching facility to enhance learning opportunities for students.
“It will be another avenue whereby Canadore can provide experiential learning experiences to students in our multi-disciplined health and wellness programs,” said Burton.
“They will be able to put what they learn in the classroom into practice, and learn from treatment professionals working in the centre.”
Prieur’s priority now is completing the design of the new facility, to be located at 352 Lakeshore Drive, and beginning a staff recruitment drive in anticipation of opening the Northern Ontario Addictions Treatment Centre in early 2023.
