A new addiction recovery centre is poised to open in Grande Prairie this fall, roughly doubling the number of beds available at its main campus and bringing men’s and women’s residential programs under one roof for the first time.
Rising Above Ministries will move into a $5-million, four-storey building that will offer 70 beds. Currently, the organization operates a 19-bed men’s residence at its main campus — a converted former Young Offenders Centre — and houses 14 to 17 women in off-site homes across the city. The new campus will consolidate all programs at a single location.
Grande Prairie MLA Nolan Dyck toured the nearly finished facility on July 22 and called it a reflection of the community’s commitment. Rising Above runs a six-month, abstinence-based Christian recovery program and is licensed by the Alberta Government as an addiction treatment centre.
The expansion comes at a critical time. The charity fields 400 to 500 applications a year but has only been able to accept about 100 people. The new capacity will allow it to serve significantly more residents each year as the region grapples with rising homelessness and drug poisoning deaths.
The City of Grande Prairie transferred the property to Rising Above in July 2024, unlocking the organization’s ability to secure construction financing. Donations and church partnerships funded the project, and a groundbreaking ceremony was held in January 2025.
Executive Director Adele-Marie Diffey and her team are preparing to welcome program participants this fall, though an exact opening date has not been announced. The new centre includes classrooms, shared eating and gathering areas, and expanded office space for staff.
Rising Above’s larger footprint will also complement a separate $35-million provincial recovery community expected to open in Grande Prairie in 2027 as part of Alberta’s recovery model.
