Plans for a regional addiction-treatment and recovery facility for men are taking another step forward in Campbell River.

The Strathcona Regional District Board directed staff last week to prepare a service-establishment bylaw and a loan-authorization bylaw for the proposed centre.

The project is intended to address what the regional district describes as a gap in local healthcare by giving more men access to treatment, recovery programs and supportive housing closer to their families and communities.

A regional needs assessment completed by the Together We Can Drug and Alcohol Recovery and Education Society supports the development of a 24-bed treatment and stabilization facility, complemented by supportive recovery housing for up to 24 additional residents.

Once fully developed, the centre could accommodate as many as 48 people and provide a more complete pathway from initial treatment into longer-term recovery support.

SRD Board Chair Mark Baker says expanded access to treatment can be life-changing for individuals, their families and the communities around them. He acknowledged that considerable planning is still required before the facility can become a reality.

The City of Campbell River has expressed a willingness to participate and may explore opportunities involving City-owned property, although a location has not yet been selected.

The regional district also plans to pursue government grants, private donations and partnerships to help finance construction while reducing the cost to local taxpayers.

Potential partners include the Province, Island Health, local First Nations, Indigenous health organizations, community groups and experienced treatment providers.

The project remains in its preliminary stages. Its location, design, construction and operating costs, funding arrangements and service-delivery model must still be determined, while the necessary bylaws and borrowing plans will require approval before construction can proceed.

To see the full news release, visit Strathcona Regional District.