On the morning of June 14, a fire tore through Poundmaker’s Lodge Treatment Centres, forcing the emergency evacuation of 75 clients and abruptly halting the in-patient programming that had been a lifeline for so many.
As the fire spread from the kitchen, staff acted quickly, moving every client to safety before firefighters arrived to contain the damage. By sunrise, the building was still standing, but inside, smoke and water damage made it uninhabitable. And for the people who call Poundmaker’s Lodge their healing home, it was a moment of heartbreak and uncertainty.
Carla Jamison, Poundmaker's Lodge spokesperson, was hundreds of kilometres away when the news reached her.
“I was up north, in another province, and when I first heard about it, I felt devastated and helpless,” Jamison said. “I didn’t know what I was supposed to do to support everybody from so far away. But I knew that the moment I got back, I had to be ready to do anything, whether it was clean up, organizing, or simply standing with my team.”
That sense of duty and care defined everything that followed.
In the days after the fire, the Poundmaker’s team worked around the clock to ensure every client had somewhere safe to go. Those who could return home were supported in doing so. Those who couldn’t were placed with the help of partner agencies or relocated to one of Poundmaker’s four recovery homes in Edmonton.
“We didn’t want to put anyone out on the street,” Jamison said. “We made sure they were safe, supported, and didn’t lose their footing on their recovery journey.”
As cleanup crews assessed the damage, the team behind Poundmaker’s Lodge pivoted quickly from crisis to action. Staff were dispatched at all hours to recover clients’ personal belongings, arrange for pickups, and provide reassurance and connection. Behind the scenes, a new plan was forming, one that would allow them to continue serving their community despite the loss of their primary space.
Just two months later, that plan has come to life.
On Aug. 11, Poundmaker’s Lodge officially reopened at a temporary location near downtown Edmonton, offering a fully structured Day Program rooted in the same clinical, cultural, and spiritual foundations the Lodge is known for. The three-week outpatient program runs Monday through Friday and includes addictions counselling, access to a psychologist, daily Elder and cultural support, and weekly sweat lodge ceremonies. Participants also meet with onsite nursing staff and a pharmacist to support medical aspects of their recovery.
“It’s everything they would’ve received at the Lodge, just in a different format,” said Jamison. “And it’s working. The program filled up almost immediately and we only just opened.”
The Day Program is open to adults and offers a balance of clinical treatment and cultural grounding, including smudging, one-on-one time with Elders, and the opportunity to return to ceremony. A separate Young Adult Day Program is also offered monthly, focusing on individuals aged 18 to 24 and supported by weekly 12-Step meetings.
What sets this recovery program apart, Jamison said, is its integration of Indigenous ways of knowing with professional treatment.
“When you go back to ceremony, when you sweat, when you smudge, when you’re surrounded by community, it reminds you that you’re not going through this alone," she said. "That’s how our people have always healed: together.”
But with so much effort now focused on the Day Program and maintaining continuity of care, Poundmaker’s Lodge has made a difficult decision: the 2025 Annual Pow Wow, a powerful celebration of culture and sobriety, has been cancelled.
“It’s really sad,” Jamison said. “The Pow Wow is one of our favourite events of the year. It’s where our clients celebrate their sobriety with the community, it’s healing in itself. But this year, our capacity is fully directed toward treatment. That takes precedence. Our clients come first.”
Despite the challenges, Jamison says the journey since the fire has revealed just how strong and united the team at Poundmaker’s is.
“This shows how resilient we are," she said. "You see the staff, our leadership, our board, our Elders: everyone stepped up. We never stopped helping people, not for one day.”
Support from across Alberta has poured in. First Nations communities, health agencies, and the Government of Alberta, through Recovery Alberta, have provided critical assistance in keeping services moving forward.
As for the original facility, Jamison says they’ve been given a timeline of at least six months for reopening, but that clock’s start point remains unclear.
“I'm not sure from what point they are estimating that from," she said. "Whether it's from since the fire or since now, but the Lodge will look the same as before, just newer.”
Poundmaker’s staff and leadership remain grounded in their mission.
"Knowing that I get to work with such amazing people is very reassuring. Even when things feel uncertain, having a team that's strong and resilient makes all the difference. We're truly excited to have this program up and running."
