The Freedom Centre exists to provide an answer to the plague of addictions through the development of a long term not-for-profit addictions centre west of Grande Prairie near Bezanson AB. The Freedom Centre is part of Oasis Community Services, the social services arm of The Oasis Fellowship in Grande Prairie. We are an organization desiring to change the North and its response to addictions. Our programs will be open to people from all parts of Canada, but our purpose is to be an available and long-term addictions response to the North first and foremost.

Dr. Doug Atha, senior pastor of The Oasis Fellowship and Executive Director of Oasis Community Services and The Freedom Centre has an extensive background with addictions. Beginning with inhalants and pot before he was ten years old, a local dealer gave him his first hit of methamphetamine (speed) at age 12.

Living in the world of addictions until age 21, Dr. Atha came to faith after his second drug induced suicide attempt; saved the first time by a rifle misfire and the second time by the quick thinking on the part of the police officer that found him in a field after noticing his coat blow in the wind.

Since coming to faith 32 years ago, Dr. Atha has worked with people like himself; addicts in Ontario, BC and Alberta, with Teen Challenge Centres in Ontario and Alberta, and the homeless in British Columbia and Alberta.The opportunity to develop The Freedom Centre provides a uniquely northern response to the addictions challenges plaguing northern Canada. With 110 acres set aside near Bezanson The Freedom Centre provides the opportunity for long term addictions treatment and care for the North.

The plan will see the development a 24 bed treatment program for men and a 24 bed treatment program for women along with a counselling specialties centre where people can come for intensive counselling services that will allow families, friends, loved ones, co-workers, businesses and companies to send the people being destroyed by addictions to have the opportunity to receive the treatment they need to break the chains of addiction that hold them down and hold them back.

Our continuing goal is to develop partnerships across Canada that will help us provide this vital service to Canada’s North. Development of partnerships with people of faith, community service agencies, provincial and national addictions groups, as well as business partners, corporate sponsors and local, regional, provincial and federal government funding opportunities.

We believe The Freedom Centre will be a grass roots movement that is not tied to past traditions of addictions treatment, but will offer a fresh approach that will take into account the unique historical, social, and population influences that formed Northern Canadian culture and the influence of addictions on its development.

We are still in the organizational formation stage. We have a few partners in the North, but need others to come alongside. This is not intended to be a one person – one organization effort. Financial partners and working partners in project and program development will help us capture the needs of the North more completely. Developing partners in making The Freedom Centre a reality, bringing the addictions treatment centre to treat addictions effectively in the North without people needing to leave the North for their treatment will provide a unique opportunity to turn the tide of addictions away from Northern Canada and provide an opportunity for us to have a true North strong and free.

Check out a day in the life of The Freedom Centre
Affordable Housing Project
Job Opportunities
Power Point Presentation