National Addictions Awareness Week (NAAW) was observed in the City and County of Grande Prairie from November 19th to November 25th, 2023, to increase public understanding and reduce stigma surrounding addictions and substance use.
To coincide with NAAW, the City of Grande Prairie, in partnership with the County of Grande Prairie, Alberta Health Services, Northreach Society, and the John Howard Society, displayed the award-winning Opioids Don’t Discriminate Exhibit at Teresa Sargent Hall from Tuesday, November 21st to Friday, November 24th.
To promote the exhibit, the City of Grande Prairie issued a Media Release, launched a social media campaign, and posted it on the City of Grande Prairie events page. In addition, the City of Grande Prairie’s Social Policy Advisor was interviewed by CBC Radio’s Mark Connolly on Edmonton AM to discuss the exhibit.
An Opening Ceremony for the exhibit was held on Tuesday, November 21st, with approximately 40 community representatives in attendance. The Opening Ceremony was emceed by local radio personality, Erica Fisher, and included a blessing by Elder Rosanna Mustus from the Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation. A joint proclamation was made by Grande Prairie Mayor Jackie Clayton and County of Grande Prairie Reeve Bob Marshall declaring National Addictions Awareness Week in both the City and County of Grande Prairie. In addition, messages were read from both MLA Rob Wiebe and MLA Nolan Dyck who sent their greetings, as they were not able to attend in-person. Finally, guest speaker Jerry Neilson shared his personal journey with both addiction and sobriety to help spread awareness regarding addiction and hope for recovery.
Between Tuesday, November 21st and Friday, November 24th, approximately 340 residents visited the exhibit, including seven school groups. The event was free to attend and primarily geared towards teenagers and adults. The exhibit provided visitors with a unique experience where they followed a timeline and engaged with the stories of three individuals impacted by opioid use. Local statistics on opioid use were also highlighted, providing attendees with a factual perspective on the crisis at the community level.
In addition, a small information fair was set-up with information regarding local mental health and addiction supports, including information from Sunrise House Youth Shelter, Northreach Society, AHS Mental Health and Addictions, City of Grande Prairie Community Social Development, County of Grande Prairie FCSS, Rising Above, and the Friendship Centre.
Of the 340 residents that attended the exhibit, 93 completed the post-survey participant survey. The data collected provided the following insights:
- The age range of the participants that attended the exhibit and completed the survey
| 0-18 Years | 19-35 Years | 36-50 Years | 50+ Years |
| 66 | 11 | 11 | 5 |
- Where did the residents who visited the exhibit reside?
| City of Grande Prairie | County of Grande Prairie | Other |
| 57 | 7 | 0 |
- “As a result of attending Opioids Don’t Discriminate, I have a greater awareness of the impact opioids have on our community”:
| None | Very Little | Some | Quite a Lot | A Lot |
| 0 | 3 | 27 | 41 | 24 |
- “As a result of attending the Opioids Don’t Discriminate Exhibit, I have a greater knowledge of addictions and mental health resources and services in our community”:
| None | Very Little | Some | Quite a Lot | A Lot |
| 2 | 4 | 31 | 31 | 27 |
A special thank you to all the community partners and organizations that helped make this event a success, as well as the residents that took the time to attend. Finally, we extend our gratitude to the County of Strathcona for kindly gifting us the Opioids Don’t Discriminate Exhibit.
