Dedication of the Tsakwa'luten Wellness Centre

Roy L Hales/Cortes Currents - It began with sacred songs, drumming and dancers.  Executive Director Kristie Lamirande would later tell Cortes Currents that while many healing centres have Indigenous spiritual components, as far as she knows none of them possess the 50/50 blend of Indigenous and Western healing methodology that the new Tsakwa’luten Healing Centre will offer. Some will remember this property as the Tsa Kwa Luten Lodge, on the southern tip of Quadra Island. There will be 42 beds for people struggling with addiction. 20 of them should be ready when the Centre opens this Fall. Jennifer Whiteside, the province's Minister for Health and Addictions, MLA Michele Babchuk, Chief Susan Savoy of the K’omoks First Nation and a number of leaders from the health community joined the We Wai Kai First Nation for the dedication on Tuesday July 16, 2024.       

Ronnie Chickite, Chief Councillor of the We Wai Kai Nation addressed the visitors, “I would like to welcome you all to our traditional territory.  It's a great day to be here. The sun is shining for this monumental announcement that the Minister is going to do for us today. We've been working on this over the last year and a half, but this vision has been there a lot longer. It's something we've seen our people go through and not only our people, but people throughout this whole country, let alone BC, but Indigenous people are definitely struggling the most.”

“We wanted  to create an Indigenous led traditional healing centre. We've seen them work. We believe that the culture based approach, combined with evidence based practices, can heal our people.  The clinical programming that we are looking at as well is going to be combined with 50 percent Western therapies and 50 percent land based therapies.  We are looking to open up in the Fall, hopefully in November.” 

“I'd also like to thank the Ministry of Health and Addictions. Without Minister Whiteside and her team and staff, and also our local MLA, Michelle Babchuk, a lot of this wouldn’t be happening.”

The province is investing $7.86 million towards the renovations and the operations.  

Whiteside explained, “It’s an important part of building a continuum of care in this part of the island, with the detox beds that have just opened now, at the hospital. The relationships that have been built through  this project.”

Lamirande added, “The province has committed to funding  our social beds for the first year. That's 80 percent of our beds. 20 percent of our beds are corporate, private pay beds,  and so year two and beyond, we need to sort that out, but  social beds are covered for the first year.” 

Cortes Currents joined Minister Whiteside, Babchuk and Linda Campbell, the facility’s lead for construction, on a tour of the bedrooms that are already finished. They were discussing the centre’s interactions with other First Nations.

Cortes Currents: What about Klahoose?  

Linda Campbell: “We haven't heard from Klahoose yet. They've been invited today, but I don't know if they're sending anybody over.  Certainly we'll be reaching out to all the nations.  One of the nice things about it is I sit on the primary care network and the Indigenous Advisory.  Klahoose is also a member. I've been bringing them up to speed on where the Healing Centre is at. We will be open shortly, and a lot of nations have been reaching out.”

Chief Ronnie Chickite: “Our goal is to create a safe and wonderful environment for anyone who wants to come here, not just Indigenous people. We want to make this for everybody.”