The provincial government will fund 4,000 spaces for addiction treatment, outpatient services and medically assisted detox.

The plan will be rolled out over the next four years, and will include new beds and funding for existing unfunded beds and spaces.

“We promised Albertans we’d help eliminate the barriers to recovery for every family. More publicly funded treatment spaces will make it easier and faster to get important addiction and mental health care. These funds are part of our commitment to providing $140 million to improve addiction and mental health care and for opioid response,” said Premier Jason Kenney in a news release.

The premier also says his government will unveil a mental health and addiction advisory council in the coming weeks to help combat the opioid problem in the province.