A new facility officially opened in Surrey today to help individuals facing mental-health issues, problematic substance use or homelessness access housing and supports to help them overcome their challenges.

Quibble Creek Health and Phoenix Transition Housing Centre, located at 13670-94A Ave. offers:

• A residential component with 15 short-term recovery beds and 52 post-treatment studio apartments with integrated support services operated by Phoenix Drug & Alcohol Recovery and Education Society.

• The Sobering and Assessment Centre where individuals 16 years of age and older can recover from acute intoxication supported by a team of health-care professionals. The short-stay program will have the capacity to support 20 to 25 individuals within a 24 hour period. Up to 7,300 individuals could be served annually.

• A Primary Care Service with low-barrier access to supportive care and treatment (substance use and medical) for people living with complex substance use issues, who may also have mental-health issues, who are not attached to a general practitioner and who have difficulty accessing health-care services.

Fraser Health operates the Sobering and Assessment Centre and Primary Care Service, as well as the Surrey Outpatient Substance Use Services, which have been relocated to this site.

The total capital cost for the building is approximately $17.3 million:

• The B.C. government invested $15 million in capital funding and will provide approximately $665,000 annually to operate the 52 supportive apartments and 15 recovery beds.

• The City of Surrey provided the land and waived all municipal fees and charges associated with the development, which total approximately $2 million.

• Fraser Health provided a $300,000 grant and will operate the ground floor Sobering and Assessment Centre and Primary Care Service.

• In addition, Fraser Health received a significant personal donation through the Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation by Phyllis Sugden in memory of her late stepson to aid in the operational costs of the facility.

This is the second development to open under a partnership between the government of B.C. and the City of Surrey to develop new supportive housing. The other development, Alder Gardens, is located at 13788 - 71st Ave. and provides 36 apartments for single mothers and their children.

Quotes:

Stephanie Cadieux, Minister of Children and Family Development and MLA for Surrey-Panorama -

"We are committed to working with all levels of government and non-profit partners to create new safe, supportive housing throughout the province. Quibble Creek Health and Phoenix Transition Housing Centre not only provides homes for individuals who may otherwise be homeless, but it also provides a path to a brighter and healthier future."

Mayor Dianne Watts, City of

"The City of Surrey has implemented a number of innovative programs to reduce homelessness and support our most vulnerable citizens. Today's opening of Quibble Creek Health and Phoenix Transition Housing Centre is a tangible example of our commitment to addressing these challenges and helping people lead healthier, more productive lives."

Dr. Nigel Murray, president and chief executive officer, Fraser Health -

"Fraser Health has been working to reach out and support people who are affected by substance-use and mental-health challenges in settings that best meet their needs. Our new Sobering and Assessment Centre and Primary Care Service provide more options and will make a difference in the lives of many people in our community."

Michael Wilson, executive director, The Phoenix Society -

"The Phoenix Society has been working for over 20 years to provide assistance for members of our community in need. This day has been many years in the making and I would like to thank all partners who made this project a reality. I look forward to seeing the difference Quibble Creek Health and Phoenix Transition Housing Centre will make on our community for many years to come."

Quick Facts:

• Under the provincial housing strategy, Housing Matters BC, the government of B.C. has partnerships with eight communities to build more than 2,300 new units of supportive housing for those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness in B.C. (Abbotsford, Campbell River, Kelowna, Maple Ridge, Nanaimo, Surrey, Vancouver, Victoria).

• Construction is now underway or complete at many of the 32 housing developments proposed under these municipal partnerships.

•  Since 2001, the B.C. government has invested $3.2 billion to provide affordable housing for low-income individuals, seniors and families. This year, more than 97,000 B.C. households will benefit from provincial social housing programs and services.

•  In 2011-12, the B.C. government invested approximately $28.5 million to provide subsidized housing and rent supplements for more than 7,200 households in Surrey.

• The Phoenix Society has worked to encourage and assist British Columbians in achieving personal, family and community healing free from substance misuse, since 1989. The society's vision of services is guided by a whole person/whole systems perspective on health and well-being that integrates health, social and economic perspectives on the issues of addiction and homelessness. The Phoenix Society also operates The Phoenix Centre.

Learn More:

To learn more about provincial programs and services to address homelessness, visit www.bchousing.org/Initiatives/Creating/PHI

To learn more about programs and services offered by The Phoenix Society, please visit: www.phoenixsociety.com

Contacts:

Seumas Gordon
BC Housing
604 439-4789
604 417-5791 (cell)

Tara Foslien
City of Surrey
604 375-4584

Fraser Health Media Pager
604 450-7881
media@fraserhealth.ca