Portage College is excited to announce the launch of a new Addictions Counselling program, made possible by funding from the Government of Alberta’s Mental Health Professions Enrollment Expansion grant program. This grant will support the development of the program throughout 2024, with the first intake of students expected in the fall of 2025.

This funding is part of a provincial investment aimed at creating new spaces in mental health-related programs across Alberta’s post-secondary institutions. The initiative focuses on critical areas such as psychiatric nursing, psychology, social work, child and youth care, and addiction counselling.

“By investing in expanding the number of mental health-related programs across Alberta, we are ensuring that communities have a strong, capable workforce to meet their mental health needs for years to come. Increasing the number of trained mental health professionals in our province will directly benefit families and vulnerable Albertans by making critical mental health services more accessible,” said Rajan Sawhney, Minister of Advanced Education.

Portage College is proud to contribute to this important provincial effort. “With this new program, we’ll equip students to make a meaningful impact in their communities,” said Nancy Broadbent, President and CEO of Portage College.

Dr. Donna Feledichuk, Vice President of Academics and Research at Portage College, added, “We have heard from our stakeholders about the pressing need for this program in our region. We are grateful to the Government of Alberta for providing the necessary funding, which allows us to meet the needs of the communities we serve.”

For further information, please contact:

Info@portagecollege.ca or 1-866-623-5551

 Media Inquiries:

Corporate Communications Department

780-623-6671 or email