Original Castanet Article published on Aug. 18, 2021

Penticton city council lobbying province to restore funding to Pathways Addictions Resource Centre

A large group of supporters cheered in Penticton city council chambers on Tuesday, celebrating as council voted unanimously to send letters in support of funds for reinstating Pathways Addictions Resource Centre.

Pathways is hoping to work with Health Canada Substance Use and Addictions Program towards establishing a Daytox-Outpatient Withdrawal Management program, which will be the first of its kind in Interior BC.

Coun. James Miller proposed writing a letter to the CEO of Interior Health, requesting the traditional funding for Pathways of $500,000 annually be restored.

This is a first step towards possibly getting the addictions recovery facility back on its feet after it had its funding pulled in March when IH announced suddenly that it would be bringing addictions services in-house.

One point brought up by Miller was that the heads of IH had not come to visit the facility when it was in operation, despite the fact that they were offered invitations to visit, and the uptake in numbers reflected that.

The Daytox-Outpatient Withdrawal Management program in Penticton would provide people struggling with substance use disorder an opportunity to attend outpatient treatment without having to leave their community, their employment or their family.