The Saskatchewan NDP are calling for an investigation by the Provincial Auditor following a statement from a former employee at a Lumsden addictions recovery centre.

Mandy Challis was the Admissions Coordinator at Willowview Recovery Centre in Lumsden, which is operated by an out-of-province organization called EHN Canada. She alleges that for over one year, the facility has been receiving operations funding, but keeping its doors closed to clients.

She says for months, the facility would not allow clients inside, but employees, such as herself, were expected to be in the building full-time, doing dry runs.

“Monday to Friday, full time. You were not allowed to take time off. You were not allowed to work from home. You had to be in that building doing nothing.”

On top of that, she adds that the building has inadequate fire alarm and sewer systems, and a verbally abusive atmosphere.

“There was not a day that went by that somebody wasn’t crying from…abuse from the leaders. If the employees felt that way, how are our most vulnerable people going to feel? They’re going to see that, and it is going to be a recipe for disaster.”

She says the centre only began taking clients yesterday, and five people are now receiving treatment in a 60-bed facility.

The NDP says “despite the facility still not being fully open, the Sask. Party government has frequently bragged about 60 “open” beds at the Willowview Recovery Centre.