New recovery facilities open in Downtown Eastside as detox waits fall
The Ashtrey and Vancouver Junction aim to connect people in active addiction to treatment and housing as B.C. average detox wait times drop from 10 days to six.
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Two new recovery-focused facilities opening this month in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside are designed to serve people at the earliest stage of wanting help—before they're ready to commit to full sobriety.
The Ashtrey Recovery Resource Centre at 450 East Hastings Street, opening soon, is supported by provincial Health Ministry funding and managed by the Overdose Prevention Society. Named after Trey Helten, the society's general manager who died last year, the centre operates as a place of connection where people can explore recovery options without requiring immediate sobriety.
"This is the frontest of front lines of recovery. You don't even have to be sober, you just have to want to start exploring it," said Sarah Blyth, the society's founder and executive director.
The Vancouver Junction, operated by Vancouver Coastal Health, also opens this month at 923 East Hastings Street. It functions as a community centre for people in recovery, with activities and events throughout the month.
Both openings coincide with significant improvements in access. Average detox wait times across B.C. have dropped from 10.1 days in 2024–25 to six days in 2025–26. In Vancouver specifically, where a new model called Road to Recovery launched in late 2023, median detox wait times for routine clients fell from 26 days to eight days.
The Ashtrey will house two recovery navigators—community members helping people navigate the multi-step process of getting into detox and longer-term recovery. For the first time, navigators will have access to a dedicated 90-day recovery bed in an east Vancouver facility operated by Together We Can, funded by Hockey Helps the Homeless. After that program, residents can move into one of 250 sober-living beds in the organization's network across the province.
Former Vancouver mayor Larry Campbell, now a special adviser on Downtown Eastside challenges, said the city needs more facilities like these. But advocates also stress a critical shortage: B.C. lacks nearly enough publicly funded recovery beds to meet demand when people complete detox.