The New Brunswick government is spending nearly $500,000 on an outpatient treatment facility that is expected to open next spring in Bilijk (Kingsclear) First Nation. “The chief and community have prioritized helping people on their journey to recovery, and we are honoured to support them in creating a safe and appropriate space for this critical work,” said Environment and Climate Change Minister Gilles LePage in a news release. The current Bilijk Health Centre is helping 75 clients with mental health and addiction issues and lacks the space to provide treatment. Construction on the new facility is expected to wrap up by the end of March 2027. “This project has become a critical part of our community’s vision to help foster and cultivate healing, growth and wellness, and provide structural solutions to the structural problems that the Indian Act reservation system was designed to create for our people,” said Bilijk First Nation Chief Justice Gruben. “We must change that historical relationship by developing new infrastructural, governmental and administrative solutions to these problems. Community change and healing requires time, patience and commitment to working together. The positive changes underway are beautiful, and this project took many hands, minds and energy to create. Seeing it come to life is already one of our most rewarding experiences as a team.” For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
