The Alberta government has introduced legislation this week that seeks to compel people with serious substance addictions to undergo involuntary treatment.
Bill 53, also known as the Compassionate Intervention Act, was presented in the provincial legislature on April 15. The first of its kind in the country, the act would allow relatives, guardians, health-care professionals, or police officers to request an addiction treatment order for people who are “likely to cause harm to themselves or others as a result of their addiction or substance use.”
The legislation was part of Premier Danielle Smith’s 2023 election campaign to address the province’s addiction crisis, and builds on previous commitments, including funding for addiction recovery in Budget 2025, the construction of recovery facilities in Alberta’s two largest cities, and the creation of a dedicated youth addiction recovery centre….