ADDICTION PROGRAM RESURRECTED

An addiction treatment program for homeless people -- axed last year
due to a multi-million shortfall at the Salvation Army -- was
resurrected Thursday with a $400,000 funding boost from ADAAC.

"This is a really happy day for us," said Gary Brown, a spokesman for
the Salvation Army. "For us to not have that program was a real void,
a real personal tragedy for us because we really feel like we make a
difference for people."

The Sally Ann and the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission
(ADAAC) have partnered for the first time, to offer a residential
treatment program for 44 clients.

Brown said the $400,000 will go toward programming and hiring six
staff for the Centre of Hope, located downtown.

Details are still being worked out and intake won't begin until early
June.

Last month, the provincial Tories announced $72.3 million in its
budget for ADAAC. On Thursday, the group announced how it would divide
up some of the money.

In addition to the Salvation Army, the Oxford House received
$50,000.

Oxford House is a "self-help network of homes" for recovering addicts
and runs out of 26 houses in Calgary and six in Edmonton.

While the province has only committed funding for one year, the MLA
for Calgary-Lougheed, Dave Rodney, said it will be sustained.

"This is not a one-shot deal," said Rodney, also chairman of ADAAC.