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- calendar_today October 26, 2026
Yellowknife Treatment Centre Set for Renovation and Reopening
The government of the Northwest Territories (N.W.T.) is moving forward with plans to reopen a residential treatment centre in Yellowknife dedicated to children facing emotional, behavioural, and psychiatric challenges. The facility, located at 5218 52nd Street, has been closed since 2021 but is now the focus of a renovation effort supported by recently submitted contractor bids.
Three Contractors Bid on Treatment Centre Renovation
This week, three contractors submitted bids ranging from $255,408 to $450,000 to renovate the building. The N.W.T. Department of Health and Social Services has identified several necessary upgrades, including work on the bathrooms, painting, kitchen and flooring improvements, and the installation of new furnishings. The plan is to maintain the previous building code and occupancy levels, allowing the facility to continue as a “stable place for youth to live.”
Facility Details and Services Provided
The treatment centre is designed to resemble a large residential home and features nine bedrooms, a shared living room, dining room, and kitchen, a staff office, and three communal activity spaces. Previously, the facility offered family-centered services to children aged eight to 12 from across the Northwest Territories. These services included assessment and intervention, family counselling, relapse intervention, and parenting support. When the centre closed in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, four children were receiving services and subsequently received alternative placements.
Importance of Community-Based and Culturally Relevant Care
Tammy Roberts, executive director of Home Base—a non-profit providing support to vulnerable youth over age 12 in Yellowknife—highlighted the significance of keeping children requiring psychiatric and mental health services within their home territory. Roberts noted that when such services are unavailable locally, children are often sent to programs in Alberta, British Columbia, or Saskatchewan, resulting in disconnection from their community, culture, family, and friends. According to Roberts, this displacement can compound trauma and result in additional challenges for youth. She emphasized the value of delivering youth support services and psychiatric care within the North, connecting children with local nature and culturally relevant care whenever possible.
Background and Outlook for the Treatment Centre
The centre previously operated with oversight by Unlimited Potential (UP) Community Services, a non-profit organization. However, the facility closed after UP informed the government it was unable to maintain staffing during the pandemic. The Department of Health and Social Services aims to reopen the centre by completing necessary renovations and restoring its role as a critical resource for child mental health and family-centered services in the region.
Continued Focus on Youth Support Services
As efforts to renovate the Yellowknife treatment centre advance, the N.W.T. government reaffirms its commitment to community-based care and support for children with complex needs. Stakeholders hope the facility’s reopening will allow more children to receive care close to home and within their cultural context, strengthening the continuum of mental health and youth support services in the Northwest Territories.
Source: cbc.ca.
