PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. — The City of Prince Albert is inviting residents, community partners and stakeholders to learn more about a proposed Complex Needs Facility, an initiative aimed at strengthening community safety while improving supports for individuals facing significant behavioural, mental health and social challenges.
The public information session, scheduled for Feb. 10, will offer a drop-in opportunity for community members to review project details, ask questions and engage directly with representatives from the City and the Province. The initiative reflects a broader municipal and provincial effort to address complex social issues through coordinated, evidence-based service delivery.
According to the City, the planned Complex Needs Facility is designed to provide a safe and secure alternative location where police can bring individuals who are intoxicated and exhibiting behaviour that poses a danger to themselves or a disturbance to the public. By diverting these individuals from emergency rooms or police holding cells, the facility is intended to better support people in crisis while reducing pressure on frontline services.
The session will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the foyer of City Hall and will follow a come-and-go format, allowing attendees to arrive at their convenience. Informational materials will be available outlining the facility’s purpose, service model and anticipated impact on the community.
City officials say the project is part of a longer-term strategy to enhance community safety and well-being in Prince Albert by addressing the root causes of repeated interactions between vulnerable individuals and emergency services. The Complex Needs Facility is expected to focus on stabilization, assessment and connection to appropriate supports, rather than enforcement or punitive measures.
The City emphasized that the facility would serve individuals with complex behavioural, mental health and social needs — a group that often requires coordinated responses involving health care, social services and law enforcement. By creating a dedicated space designed for this purpose, the City aims to improve outcomes for individuals while contributing to a safer public environment.
Community engagement has been identified as a key component of the planning process. The upcoming information session is intended to provide transparency around the project and allow residents to better understand how the facility would operate within the broader network of community services. Attendees will be able to speak directly with City and provincial representatives, raising questions or concerns about location, operations and community impact.
Municipal leaders note that similar facilities in other jurisdictions have been shown to reduce repeat police calls, lower emergency department use and improve access to appropriate care for individuals in crisis. While local details are still being finalized, the City says lessons learned from comparable models are informing planning in Prince Albert.
From a business and economic perspective, community safety and social stability are increasingly viewed as foundational to sustainable growth. Local governments across Canada are investing in preventative and supportive infrastructure to reduce long-term costs associated with emergency response, health care utilization and justice system involvement. City officials argue that the Complex Needs Facility aligns with this approach by focusing resources upstream, before situations escalate.
The initiative also underscores the importance of collaboration between municipal and provincial governments, as well as community organizations, in addressing complex social challenges. The City has stated that enhanced service delivery and inter-agency coordination will be central to the facility’s success.
Residents are encouraged to attend the Feb. 10 session to learn more about how the facility is intended to function and how it fits into Prince Albert’s broader commitment to community well-being. Feedback gathered during the session will help inform next steps as the project moves forward.
The City says it remains committed to ongoing communication as planning continues, recognizing that community understanding and trust are essential to the successful implementation of initiatives that affect public safety and social services.
The public information session will be held at City Hall, located in downtown Prince Albert, and is open to all members of the community.
