Earlier in September, the Government of New Brunswick announced it is moving forward with plans to build an addiction treatment facility in Bilijk First Nation. According to the community’s chief, this project will help tackle broader systemic challenges affecting the community. “This project has become a critical part of our community’s vision to help foster and cultivate healing, growth and wellness,” Chief Justice Gruben said during the announcement.

The Bilijk Health Centre is currently helping 75 clients with mental health and addiction issues. “[The facility] will provide structural solutions to the structural problems that the Indian Act reservation system was designed to create for our people,” Gruben added. 

So far, New Brunswick’s Regional Development Corporation has contributed $500,000 to the project, and the community also received additional funding of $800,000 from Health Canada. “For some, this day has come too late,” Social Development Minister Cindy Miles said during the anouncement.

“We remember them today. We honour them today, and we continue to move forward with purpose, knowing that the work we do now can change the path for someone else.”

Moreover, Gruben said the facility will be used to address alcoholism, fentanyl use and other types of substance abuse. “And it’s a direct result of generations of abuse, historical injustice and trauma that we’re living with and dealing with still to this day,” he said. 

“So I think that’s an important piece to remind ourselves of when we’re moving through this.“

Construction of the addiction treatment facility is expected to be completed by the end of March 2027. “My tenure — when it started in February —  I was able to take this dream and vision and add my own light to it and put my own suggestions along with leadership and our team,” said Chief Gruben.

“It started off as a small modular piece that was going to be run out of, like, a trailer. And I said, let’s make a facility. So we got the secondary funding, adjusted the initial allocation and were able to move some pieces around to really help this project grow.”