https://www.opportunityhomedv.com/

Opportunity Home Drayton Valley, 5219 53 Avenue, Drayton Valley, AB (2025)

11/12/2025

We want to extend a huge thank you to 'sFineCusine for donating dinner to our recovery centre on Remembrance Day. Your generosity made a meaningful difference and helped us honor the day together in warmth and gratitude!

Stop by Maple's for a delicious meal today!

11/10/2025

Happy Monday!

We would like to give a huge thank you to Three knights steak house & pizza and Khal's Steakhouse and Lounge for donating their time and effort into providing our centre with some tasty meals over the weekend! Your kindness and support mean the world to us!

Support them like they support us, stop by Khal's and Three Knights for a wonderful meal today!

10/27/2025

Happy Monday!

We would like to give a huge thank you to Goldie's Chicken Plus Pizza and Mitch's Restaurant & Bar for donating their time and effort into providing our centre with some delicious dinners over the weekend! Your continuous kindness and support mean the world to our staff and residents.

Support them like they support us, stop by Goldie's Chicken Plus Pizza and Mitch's Restaurant & Bar for a tasty meal today!

10/20/2025

A huge thank you to River Rock Grill - Drayton Valley and MR MIKES for generously donating delicious dinners to our centre over the weekend! Your kindness and support mean the world to our staff and residents. We're so grateful for your partnership in the community!

Life's too short for bad food. Bring your friends and family to River Rock Grill - Drayton Valley and MR MIKES for some delicious meals and support those supporting healthier communities.

10/17/2025

💙🌟A heartfelt thank you to our amazing community!🌟💙

We want to extend our gratitude to everyone who donated personal hygiene items to our centre. Your generosity directly support the men in our care as they take courageous steps towards healing and recovery.

These everyday essentials such as soaps, razors, shampoo, and more help restore dignity, comfort, and confidence to men rebuilding their lives. Each donation reflects the compassion and community spirit that make transformation possible.

At Opportunity home our mission is to bring hope, healing, and wholeness to men challenged by addiction. We provide a safe and supportive space where participants can focus on their recovery, personal growth, and spiritual development. through individualized care, group therapy, and life-skills training we empower men to pursue lasting change and rebuild healthy, fulfilling lives.

From all of us at Opportunity Home- thank you for helping us to make one difference at a time!

10/14/2025

Happy Tuesday! We hope everyone had a wonderful thanksgiving weekend! 🦃🍂🥧

We would like to give a shoutout to Khal's Steakhouse and Lounge and for donating their time and effort to provide us with some super delicious meals over the long weekend! We are incredibly grateful for your continuous support and to have community partners like you!

Support them like they support us, stop by Khal's and three knights for a tasty meal!

10/06/2025

Some people have asked, “Why should taxpayers pay for the Town of Drayton Valley’s encampment cleanup?”

As someone who works alongside people living with addiction, trauma, neglect, mental health challenges, and people who are unhoused, I want to explain why this cleanup is both necessary and responsible for everyone in our community.

Encampment cleanups are not about rewarding poor choices or ignoring accountability. They are about public health, community safety, and human dignity.

When people have nowhere to go, they end up creating temporary shelters that often lack garbage disposal, washrooms, or running water. Over time, that means unsafe waste buildup, fire hazards, disease risk, and environmental damage. The Town’s cleanup efforts help prevent these dangers by providing dumpsters, outhouses, and garbage removal. These are basic sanitation measures that protect both the residents of the encampment and the surrounding community.

Cleanups also make it safer for outreach workers and health professionals to connect with individuals who are struggling. Once safety and sanitation are established, workers can begin the next step by offering access to shelter, treatment, health care, or recovery supports.

This is not enabling. It is evidence-based public safety and prevention.

For perspective, based on local budgets and population size, each taxpayer’s contribution to the cleanup is estimated to be about $5 or less. That number is not exact, but it is reasonable and roughly the cost of a coffee, depending on what you order.

Here is what we know about the bigger picture in Canada:

- 74% of people who are unhoused live with mental health or substance use challenges, and nearly half struggle with both (Government of Canada, 2024).
- 16.5% of people who are unhoused said medical issues were the direct reason they lost their housing (Statistics Canada, 2023).
- Financial instability is another major cause. Nearly 2 in 5 experiences of being unhoused are tied to sudden financial hardship (Statistics Canada, 2025).

These are not people who chose this life. They are people who have fallen through the cracks of systems that are underfunded and overburdened.

And while cleanups do cost money, doing nothing costs far more. When encampments are left unmanaged, municipalities face higher expenses in:

- Emergency room visits and medical response
- RCMP or bylaw enforcement
- Fire and environmental remediation
- Public health interventions

Research consistently shows that early, coordinated intervention, even in the form of cleanups and outreach, saves thousands of dollars in other public system costs later. Every $1 spent on early response or prevention can save between $2 and $9 in emergency, health, and justice expenses (Mental Health Commission of Canada, 2021).

Yes, this cleanup uses taxpayer dollars, but it is a smart and compassionate investment that benefits the whole community.

If you are reading this and have experienced or are experiencing challenges, whether with housing, addiction, mental health, or life circumstances, please know that there is help. You are not alone, and there are people in this community who care and want to support you.

Start with 811, Alberta’s free, confidential health line available 24 hours a day. You can speak with a nurse, a mental health professional, or another trained staff member about health, housing, addiction, or support options. No health card or appointment is needed. Help is available day and night, in multiple languages. You can also visit www.ahs.ca/811

Everyone needs help at some point in their life. What makes a community strong is not who falls, but how we respond when they do.

I encourage all candidates in the upcoming election to become informed and educated on this very real challenge our community faces. Work alongside local organizations, professionals, and volunteers to find compassionate, practical solutions that balance public safety with human care. We need leadership that values the entire community, including those without a fixed address or a voting voice.

If anyone would like more information on this topic, please feel free to reach out.

“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” Albert Einstein

Danna Thiel-Cropley, AAC
Addictions Counsellor & Executive Director
Opportunity Home Treatment & Recovery Centre
Drayton Valley, Alberta

*Facebook would not allow me to share sources, but if you would like links to any of the sources I’ve used, please reach out and let me know.

10/06/2025

Some people have asked, “Why should taxpayers pay for the Town of Drayton Valley’s encampment cleanup?”

As someone who works alongside people living with addiction, trauma, neglect, mental health challenges, and people who are unhoused, I want to explain why this cleanup is both necessary and responsible for everyone in our community.

Encampment cleanups are not about rewarding poor choices or ignoring accountability. They are about public health, community safety, and human dignity.

When people have nowhere to go, they end up creating temporary shelters that often lack garbage disposal, washrooms, or running water. Over time, that means unsafe waste buildup, fire hazards, disease risk, and environmental damage. The Town’s cleanup efforts help prevent these dangers by providing dumpsters, outhouses, and garbage removal. These are basic sanitation measures that protect both the residents of the encampment and the surrounding community.

Cleanups also make it safer for outreach workers and health professionals to connect with individuals who are struggling. Once safety and sanitation are established, workers can begin the next step by offering access to shelter, treatment, health care, or recovery supports.

This is not enabling. It is evidence-based public safety and prevention.

For perspective, based on local budgets and population size, each taxpayer’s contribution to the cleanup is estimated to be about $2 or less. That number is not exact, but it is reasonable and roughly the cost of a coffee, depending on what you order.

Here is what we know about the bigger picture in Canada:

- 74% of people who are unhoused live with mental health or substance use challenges, and nearly half struggle with both (Government of Canada, 2024).
- 16.5% of people who are unhoused said medical issues were the direct reason they lost their housing (Statistics Canada, 2023).
- Financial instability is another major cause. Nearly 2 in 5 experiences of being unhoused are tied to sudden financial hardship (Statistics Canada, 2025).

These are not people who chose this life. They are people who have fallen through the cracks of systems that are underfunded and overburdened.

And while cleanups do cost money, doing nothing costs far more. When encampments are left unmanaged, municipalities face higher expenses in:

- Emergency room visits and medical response
- RCMP or bylaw enforcement
- Fire and environmental remediation
- Public health interventions

Research consistently shows that early, coordinated intervention, even in the form of cleanups and outreach, saves thousands of dollars in other public system costs later. Every $1 spent on early response or prevention can save between $2 and $9 in emergency, health, and justice expenses (Mental Health Commission of Canada, 2021).

So yes, this cleanup uses taxpayer dollars, but it is a smart and compassionate investment that benefits the whole community.

If you are reading this and have experienced or are experiencing challenges, whether with housing, addiction, mental health, or life circumstances, please know that there is help. You are not alone, and there are people in this community who care deeply and want to support you.

Start with 811, Alberta’s free, confidential health line available 24 hours a day. You can speak with a nurse, a mental health professional, or another trained staff member about health, housing, addiction, or support options. No health card or appointment is needed. Help is available day and night, in multiple languages. You can also visit www.ahs.ca/811
Everyone needs help at some point in their life. What makes a community strong is not who falls, but how we respond when they do.

I encourage all candidates in the upcoming election to become informed and educated on this very real challenge our community faces. Work alongside local organizations, professionals, and volunteers to find compassionate, practical solutions that balance public safety with human care. We need leadership that values the entire community, including those without a fixed address or a voting voice.

If anyone would like more information on this topic, please feel free to reach out.

“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” – Albert Einstein

Danna Cropley, AAC
Addictions Counsellor & Executive Director
Opportunity Home Treatment & Recovery Centre
Drayton Valley, Alberta

Sources

Government of Canada (2024). Homelessness: Mental health and substance use challenges.
https://housing-infrastructure.canada.ca/homelessness-sans-abri/reports-rapports/mental-health-substance-use-sante-mentale-consom-substances-eng.html

Statistics Canada (2023). Homelessness: How does it happen?
https://www.statcan.gc.ca/o1/en/plus/5170-homelessness-how-does-it-happen

Statistics Canada (2025). Housing, homelessness, and financial instability.
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/46-28-0001/2025001/article/00002-eng.htm

Mental Health Commission of Canada (2021). Housing, Health, and Justice Cost Savings.
https://mentalhealthcommission.ca/resource/housing-health-and-justice-cost-savings/

Big West Country News (2023, November 7). Encampment cleanup complete.
https://www.bigwestcountry.ca/2023/11/07/encampment-cleanup-complete

10/06/2025

Happy Monday!

We would like to give a huge thank you to The White Bull Cafe and Boston Pizza Drayton Valley for donating their time and effort into providing our centre with some delicious dinners over the weekend! Your continuous kindness and support mean the world to our staff and residents.

Support them like they support us, stop by The White Bull Cafe and Boston Pizza Drayton Valley for a tasty meal today!

10/06/2025

Why the Encampment Cleanup Matters

Some people have asked, “Why should residents help cover the cost of the Town of Drayton Valley’s encampment cleanup?”

As someone who works closely with people facing challenges such as housing instability, trauma, and recovery, I want to share why this cleanup matters for everyone in our community.

Encampment cleanups are not about overlooking accountability. They are about public health, community safety, and basic human dignity.

When people have nowhere safe to stay, they create temporary shelters that lack garbage disposal, washrooms, or clean water. Over time, this leads to waste buildup, fire hazards, and environmental damage. The Town’s cleanup efforts address these risks by providing proper waste removal and sanitation services that protect both residents of the encampment and the wider community.

Cleanups also create safer conditions for outreach workers and health professionals to connect with those in need. Once an area is stabilized, workers can begin offering access to shelter, treatment, health care, or recovery supports.

This is not enabling, it is prevention and public safety based on research and compassion.

For perspective, based on local budgets and population size, each taxpayer’s contribution to this cleanup is estimated at around five dollars or less, about the cost of a coffee.

Across Canada, research shows:
;
- About 74% of people experiencing homelessness also face mental health or substance use challenges (Government of Canada, 2024).
- Roughly 16.5% report that medical issues directly led to their homelessness (Statistics Canada, 2023).
- Nearly two in five cases are linked to sudden financial hardship (Statistics Canada, 2025).

These are not people who chose this life. They are people who have fallen through the cracks of systems that are stretched thin.

And while cleanups cost money, doing nothing costs far more. Unmanaged encampments increase pressure on:

- Emergency medical care
- Police and bylaw enforcement
- Fire and environmental response
- Public health services

Studies show that early, coordinated action, even something as simple as cleanup and outreach, can save multiple dollars later in emergency and justice costs. Every one dollar spent on early response or prevention can save two to nine dollars in other public expenses (Mental Health Commission of Canada, 2021).

Yes, this cleanup uses public funds, but it is a smart, compassionate investment in community wellbeing.

If you or someone you know is struggling with housing, health, or recovery, help is available. You can call 811, Alberta’s free and confidential health line, 24 hours a day, to talk with a nurse or mental health professional about support options. No health card or appointment is required.

Everyone needs help at some point in life. What makes a community strong is not who struggles, but how we respond.

I encourage all local candidates to learn more about this issue and work with organizations, professionals, and volunteers to find practical and compassionate solutions that protect taxpayers, public safety, and human dignity.

“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” Albert Einstein

Danna Thiel-Cropley, AAC
Addictions Counsellor and Executive Director
Opportunity Home Treatment and Recovery Centre
Drayton Valley, Alberta

Sources
Government of Canada (2024). Homelessness: Mental health and substance use challenges.
housing-infrastructure.canada.ca/homelessness-mental-health

Statistics Canada (2023). Homelessness: How does it happen?
statcan.gc.ca/en/subjects-start/homelessness

Statistics Canada (2025). Housing, homelessness, and financial instability.
150.statcan.gc.ca/articles/00002-eng.htm

Mental Health Commission of Canada (2021). Housing, Health, and Justice Cost Saving.
mentalhealthcommission.ca/resources/housing-health-and-justice-cost-saving

Big West Country News (2023, November 7). Encampment cleanup complete.
bigwestcountry.ca/encampment-cleanup-complete

10/06/2025

Why the Encampment Cleanup Matters

Some people have asked, “Why should taxpayers pay for the Town of Drayton Valley’s encampment cleanup?”

As someone who works alongside people living with addiction, trauma, neglect, mental health challenges, and people who are unhoused, I want to explain why this cleanup is both necessary and responsible for everyone in our community.

Encampment cleanups are not about rewarding poor choices or ignoring accountability. They are about public health, community safety, and human dignity.

When people have nowhere to go, they end up creating temporary shelters that often lack garbage disposal, washrooms, or running water. Over time, that means unsafe waste buildup, fire hazards, disease risk, and environmental damage. The Town’s cleanup efforts help prevent these dangers by providing dumpsters, outhouses, and garbage removal, basic sanitation that protects both the residents of the encampment and the surrounding community.

Cleanups also make it safer for outreach workers and health professionals to connect with individuals who are struggling. Once safety and sanitation are established, workers can begin the next step, offering access to shelter, treatment, health care, or recovery supports.

This is not enabling. It is evidence-based public safety and prevention.

For perspective, based on local budgets and population size, each taxpayer’s contribution to the cleanup is likely around $5 or less. That number is not exact, but it’s reasonable, roughly the cost of a coffee, depending on what you order.

Here’s what we know about the bigger picture in Canada:
- 74% of people experiencing homelessness live with mental health or substance use challenges, and nearly half struggle with both (Government of Canada, 2024).
- 16.5% of people who are unhoused said medical issues were the direct reason they lost their home (Statistics Canada, 2023).
- Financial instability is another major cause. Nearly 2 in 5 homelessness episodes are tied to sudden financial hardship (Statistics Canada, 2025).

These are not people who “chose” this life. They are people who’ve fallen through the cracks of systems that are underfunded and overburdened.

And while cleanups do cost money, doing nothing costs far more. When encampments are left unmanaged, municipalities face higher expenses in:

- Emergency room visits and medical response
- RCMP or bylaw enforcement
- Fire and environmental remediation
- Public health interventions

Research consistently shows that early, coordinated intervention, even in the form of cleanups and outreach, saves thousands of dollars in other public system costs later. Every $1 spent on early response or prevention can save $2 to $9 in emergency, health, and justice expenses (Mental Health Commission of Canada, 2021).

Yes, this cleanup uses taxpayer dollars, but it is a smart and compassionate investment that benefits the whole community.
If you are reading this and have experienced or are experiencing challenges, whether with housing, addiction, mental health, or life circumstances, please know that there is help. You are not alone, and there are people in this community who care and want to support you.

Start with 811, Alberta’s free, confidential health line available 24 hours a day. You can speak with a nurse, a mental health professional, or another trained staff member about health, housing, addiction, or support options. No health card or appointment is needed. Help is available day and night, in multiple languages. You can also visit www.ahs.ca/811.

Everyone needs help at some point in their life. What makes a community strong is not who falls, but how we respond when they do.

I encourage all candidates in the upcoming election to become informed and educated on this very real challenge our community faces. Collaborate with local organizations, professionals, and volunteers to develop compassionate and practical solutions that strike a balance between taxpayers, public safety and human care. We need leadership that values the entire community, including those without a fixed address or a voting voice.

If anyone would like more information on this topic or wants to become more informed, please access the resource links or feel free to reach out.

“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” Albert Einstein.

Danna Thiel-Cropley, AAC
Addictions Counsellor & Executive Director
Opportunity Home Treatment & Recovery Centre
Drayton Valley, Alberta

Sources

Government of Canada (2024). Homelessness: Mental health and substance use challenges.
https://housing-infrastructure.canada.ca/.../mental...

Statistics Canada (2023). Homelessness: How does it happen?
https://www.statcan.gc.ca/.../5170-homelessness-how-does...

Statistics Canada (2025). Housing, homelessness, and financial instability.
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/.../article/00002-eng.htm

Mental Health Commission of Canada (2021). Housing, Health, and Justice Cost Saving https://mentalhealthcommission.ca/.../housing-health-and.../

Big West Country News (2023, November 7). Encampment cleanup complete.
https://www.bigwestcountry.ca/.../encampment-cleanup...

10/06/2025

Why the Encampment Cleanup Matters

Some people have asked, “Why should taxpayers pay for the Town of Drayton Valley’s encampment cleanup?”

As someone who works alongside people living with addiction, trauma, neglect, mental health challenges, and people who are unhoused, I want to explain why this cleanup is both necessary and responsible for everyone in our community.

Encampment cleanups are not about rewarding poor choices or ignoring accountability. They are about public health, community safety, and human dignity.

When people have nowhere to go, they end up creating temporary shelters that often lack garbage disposal, washrooms, or running water. Over time, that means unsafe waste buildup, fire hazards, disease risk, and environmental damage. The Town’s cleanup efforts help prevent these dangers by providing dumpsters, outhouses, and garbage removal, basic sanitation that protects both the residents of the encampment and the surrounding community.

Cleanups also make it safer for outreach workers and health professionals to connect with individuals who are struggling. Once safety and sanitation are established, workers can begin the next step, offering access to shelter, treatment, health care, or recovery supports.

This is not enabling. It is evidence-based public safety and prevention.

For perspective, based on local budgets and population size, each taxpayer’s contribution to the cleanup is likely around $5 or less. That number is not exact, but it’s reasonable, roughly the cost of a coffee, depending on what you order.

Here’s what we know about the bigger picture in Canada:

- 74% of people experiencing homelessness live with mental health or substance use challenges, and nearly half struggle with both (Government of Canada, 2024).
- 16.5% of people who are unhoused said medical issues were the direct reason they lost their home (Statistics Canada, 2023).
- Financial instability is another major cause. Nearly 2 in 5 homelessness episodes are tied to sudden financial hardship (Statistics Canada, 2025).

These are not people who “chose” this life. They are people who’ve fallen through the cracks of systems that are underfunded and overburdened.

And while cleanups do cost money, doing nothing costs far more. When encampments are left unmanaged, municipalities face higher expenses in:

- Emergency room visits and medical response
- RCMP or bylaw enforcement
- Fire and environmental remediation
- Public health interventions

Research consistently shows that early, coordinated intervention, even in the form of cleanups and outreach, saves thousands of dollars in other public system costs later. Every $1 spent on early response or prevention can save $2 to $9 in emergency, health, and justice expenses (Mental Health Commission of Canada, 2021).

Yes, this cleanup uses taxpayer dollars, but it is a smart and compassionate investment that benefits the whole community.

If you are reading this and have experienced or are experiencing challenges, whether with housing, addiction, mental health, or life circumstances, please know that there is help. You are not alone, and there are people in this community who care deeply and want to support you.

Start with 811, Alberta’s free, confidential health line available 24 hours a day. You can speak with a nurse, a mental health professional, or another trained staff member about health, housing, addiction, or support options. No health card or appointment is needed. Help is available day and night, in multiple languages. You can also visit www.ahs.ca/811.

Everyone needs help at some point in their life. What makes a community strong is not who falls, but how we respond when they do.

I encourage all candidates in the upcoming election to become informed and educated on this very real challenge our community faces. Collaborate with local organizations, professionals, and volunteers to develop compassionate and practical solutions that strike a balance between taxpayers, public safety and human care. We need leadership that values the entire community, including those without a fixed address or a voting voice.

If anyone would like more information on this topic or to become more informed, please access the resource links or feel free to reach out.

“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” – Albert Einstein.

Danna Thiel-Cropley, AAC
Addictions Counsellor & Executive Director
Opportunity Home Treatment & Recovery Centre
Drayton Valley, Alberta

Sources
Government of Canada (2024). Homelessness: Mental health and substance use challenges.
https://housing-infrastructure.canada.ca/homelessness-sans-abri/reports-rapports/mental-health-substance-use-sante-mentale-consom-substances-eng.html

Statistics Canada (2023). Homelessness: How does it happen?
https://www.statcan.gc.ca/o1/en/plus/5170-homelessness-how-does-it-happen

Statistics Canada (2025). Housing, homelessness, and financial instability.
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/46-28-0001/2025001/article/00002-eng.htm

Mental Health Commission of Canada (2021). Housing, Health, and Justice Cost Saving https://mentalhealthcommission.ca/resource/housing-health-and-justice-cost-savings/

Big West Country News (2023, November 7). Encampment cleanup complete.
https://www.bigwestcountry.ca/2023/11/07/encampment-cleanup-complete

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