Scott Oake and family working to open women’s addictions facility in Winnipeg

A new women's addictions treatment facility could be coming to Winnipeg, in honour of a woman who helped increase access to addiction treatments in the city.

"It's relatively quick but there's a great need for it and we don’t want to waste any time,” said Scott Oake, who opened the Bruce Oak Recovery Centre with his late wife. "Women will come there to work on themselves and get healthy again and get back to their families, their loved ones, their jobs and society."

The centre will have a particular woman in mind when ground breaks.

It's being built in memory of Anne Oake - the mother of Bruce Oake and matriarch of the Bruce Oake Recovery Centre. Anne helped spearhead the men's centre and dreamed of establishing one for women.

Anne died one week before the men centre’s first cohort graduated.

"Her spirit is alive and well here along with Bruce's and her spirit will endure at the Anne Oake Family Recovery Centre."

The Bruce Oake Recovery Centre was named after Scott and Anne's son who died of an overdose.

There's a general need for more addictions supports, not only in Manitoba, but across the country.

Data release earlier this year from the Manitoba Office of the Chief Medical Examiner showed 418 Manitobans died from a drug-related death. In 2021, 432 people died.

Clinical psychologist Michael Ellery said a new centre is welcome news.

He said there are both biological and social differences between men and women experiencing addiction which sometimes require different approaches.

"There's also things about the different roles about men and women in society that can contribute to both developing a substance use problem but also could be obstacles to getting help," said Ellery.

The women's centre would try to address that and keep families together.

"A significant daycare component. A lot of women are reluctant to go into recovery for fear of losing their kid. So we will address that and a few other needs," said Oake.

There isn't a location for the new centre set yet - but Scott Oake, president of the Bruce Oake Memorial Foundation, says they already have some possible properties picked out. He is aiming to welcome residents in two and a half years.