The member from Sault Ste. Marie is correct: The north has been neglected for far too long. This is why I’ve been travelling in the north, and I’ve had the opportunity to visit many of the cities and rural and remote communities.

Just recently, in October, I had the opportunity to meet with Carolyn Karle and Team DEK, a local addiction recovery group, who have lost children to addictions. I was honoured to speak with them to listen to their experiences and learn more about what we must do to fill the gaps in their community to give better care to individuals. Mr. Speaker, we’re filling those gaps as a government.

I was in North Bay last week with the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade to announce an expansion of the North Bay addictions centre of excellence at Canadore College. This is an investment of $4.5 million to build 53 beds not only to help people but to train individuals in the north to provide better supports and build on the continuum of care in northern Ontario.

The trauma that was suffered by Indian residential school survivors, as well as the intergenerational trauma to their families and communities, requires a focused commitment to culturally appropriate services. That’s why $2 million of the Canadore investment will go toward servicing Indigenous populations.

In addition, we’re also providing supports to several Indigenous-led organizations to deliver evidence-driven, land-based care—$3.8 million for the St. Joseph’s Care Group and Dilico Anishinabek Family Care to open 34 new beds in Thunder Bay and $4.2 million to the Sioux Lookout Friendship group for addictions services.

Mr. Speaker, these are just three of the incredible investments and initiatives that are being made as a result of the Addictions Recovery Fund, which is going to open 400 treatment beds, 7,000 treatment spots—and, I might say, 56% of which will be in northern Ontario in rural and remote communities.

We’re building partnerships with our Indigenous communities because they’ve told us, “There can be nothing about us without us.” And we’re listening.