If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction in Winnipeg, Freeport Recovery offers structured, private treatment that you can access quickly — without the lengthy waitlists that come with publicly funded programs in Manitoba. Our residential facility is located in St. Catharines, Ontario, accessible by a short direct flight from Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport, providing the focused distance from familiar environments that meaningful recovery often requires.
We support individuals from across Winnipeg and Manitoba — including the North End, St. Vital, St. James, Transcona, and surrounding communities — who are ready to make a real and lasting change.
Winnipeg and the broader province of Manitoba are facing a serious and worsening substance use crisis. In 2024, Manitoba recorded approximately 371 substance-related deaths — and while that represents a modest decrease from 382 in 2023, the overall trajectory over recent years reflects a deepening crisis, not a resolved one. Stimulants — primarily methamphetamine and cocaine — have emerged as the leading substances contributing to deaths in Manitoba, involved in more than 80% of fatalities in recent reporting periods, according to the Manitoba Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Opioids, including fentanyl increasingly laced with benzodiazepines, continue to pose a severe and unpredictable threat on Winnipeg streets.
The public treatment system is under enormous strain. The average wait time for a publicly funded addiction treatment program in Manitoba is approximately 52 days — longer than the Ontario average, and before accounting for referral and assessment time. For someone who has gathered the courage to ask for help, waiting nearly two months is not just discouraging — it can be life-threatening. Recovery windows are fragile. Private treatment allows you to act on them immediately.
Many Winnipeg residents are surprised to learn that one of the most important decisions in their recovery is where they receive it. Here’s why leaving the city often produces better outcomes:
Distance from triggers. Recovery is significantly harder when you’re surrounded by the same people, places, and routines that reinforced substance use. Residential treatment in St. Catharines removes you from that environment entirely and gives your mind and body the space to reset.
Privacy and confidentiality. For many Winnipeg residents — especially professionals, business owners, and parents — seeking treatment close to home comes with real concerns about being recognized. Our facility offers complete privacy in a setting that’s far enough away to matter.
No disruption to the logistics. Our admissions team handles everything. You focus on getting well; we coordinate the rest from intake through to discharge planning and aftercare.
A therapeutic environment. Our St. Catharines facility offers access to outdoor space, physical fitness, and wellness modalities — the kind of healing environment that’s difficult to replicate in a city you associate with your addiction.
Our treatment facility is located in St. Catharines, Ontario. For Winnipeg residents, flying is the most practical and efficient option — and our admissions team can help coordinate every step.
Flying from Winnipeg (YWG): Direct flights from Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport (YWG) to Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) are available daily with Air Canada, WestJet, Porter Airlines, and Flair Airlines. Flight time is approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes. From Toronto Pearson, our facility in St. Catharines is approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes by car via the QEW South toward Niagara (Exit 47). Door-to-door travel from central Winnipeg to our facility typically takes 4 to 5 hours including airport time.
If you need help with transportation: Our admissions team can assist with coordinating your travel from Winnipeg to our facility. We want getting to treatment to be the easiest part of this process.
Freeport Recovery offers a full continuum of care designed to meet you where you are — whether you need intensive residential support or flexible virtual treatment.
Our flagship program. You live at our facility full-time and engage in a structured daily schedule of individual therapy, group sessions, wellness activities, and personal development. Residential treatment is the most effective option for moderate to severe substance use disorders, and clients typically stay for 30, 60, or 90 days depending on clinical need.
For Winnipeg residents who cannot leave work, family, or other responsibilities, our virtual program delivers evidence-based addiction treatment entirely online. Sessions are structured, confidential, and led by our clinical team. This is a legitimate, evidence-informed path to recovery — not a lesser alternative.
Ongoing one-on-one support with a certified recovery counsellor, designed for individuals in early recovery or those stepping down from residential care. Ideal for maintaining progress and accountability after completing residential treatment.
Recovery doesn’t end at discharge. Our aftercare programming keeps Winnipeg-based clients connected to their clinical team and peer community as they reintegrate into daily life back in Manitoba.
Freeport Recovery provides treatment for a wide range of substance use disorders, including:
Alcohol
Cocaine
Amphetamine
Opioid
Benzodiazepine
Prescription Drug
Cannabis
Many clients arrive with co-occurring concerns — anxiety, depression, trauma, or other mental health challenges alongside their substance use. Our integrated approach addresses both simultaneously.
At Freeport Recovery, we don’t believe in one-size-fits-all treatment. Every client receives a personalized care plan built around their substance use history, mental and physical health, goals, and lifestyle. Our clinical team combines evidence-based therapies with a range of experiential and wellness-based modalities:
Our facility is CARF accredited and LegitScript certified — independent third-party verifications that our programs meet rigorous standards for quality and safety.
We know that the cost of private treatment is often one of the first concerns for Winnipeg residents and their families. Freeport Recovery partners with Medicard to offer flexible payment plans, making private care more attainable. Our admissions team will discuss all available options with you transparently and without pressure — because financial concerns should never be the reason someone doesn’t get the help they need.
Yes. We regularly admit clients from across Manitoba and Western Canada. Our admissions team has worked with Winnipeg residents from a wide range of backgrounds — professionals, parents, students, and individuals from all walks of life. We’re experienced in helping people navigate the logistics of travelling from Winnipeg for treatment, including flight coordination and communication with families.
Most clients from Winnipeg fly direct from Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport (YWG) to Toronto Pearson (YYZ) — a roughly 2.5-hour flight — and then travel approximately 1 hour 20 minutes by car to our St. Catharines facility. Total door-to-door travel typically takes 4 to 5 hours. Our admissions team can help coordinate your transportation from the airport.
In most cases, we can accommodate new clients within a few days of initial contact. This is a significant advantage over publicly funded programs in Manitoba, where the average wait for treatment is approximately 52 days. We understand that the window when someone is ready and willing to seek help is precious — we don’t make you wait for it.
Freeport Recovery is a private treatment facility. Manitoba Health covers publicly funded addiction programs, but not private centres. We offer flexible financing through our partnership with Medicard, which provides structured payment plans to make private treatment more accessible. Our admissions team will walk you through all available financial options before you commit to anything.
Residential treatment means you live at our facility in St. Catharines for the duration of your program — typically 30 to 90 days. It is the most comprehensive level of care and is recommended for moderate to severe substance use disorders, or for individuals who have attempted treatment before without long-term success. Virtual treatment is delivered entirely online and suits individuals with work, family, or financial constraints that make travelling from Winnipeg difficult. Both programs are clinically structured and led by our treatment team.
Absolutely. Family involvement is an important part of the recovery process. We offer family support, education, and counselling throughout treatment. Families can participate remotely or visit our facility as appropriate. Our team will provide guidance on how to best support your loved one’s recovery.
Our admissions team will send you a complete packing list after your intake call. In general, you’ll want comfortable clothing for therapy sessions and physical activities, personal hygiene items, any prescribed medications, and a few personal comfort items. Electronics policies vary — our admissions team will advise you on this during intake.
Yes, completely. Confidentiality is a cornerstone of our practice and is protected by law. Your treatment at Freeport Recovery will not be disclosed to employers, family members (without your consent), or any other parties. Many Winnipeg-based clients choose private residential treatment specifically because of the privacy it affords — particularly given the distance from home.
Recovery is possible, and it begins with one step forward. Start your journey today and let us walk beside you every step of the way.
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