RICHMOND − Young people in Richmond will have access to more mental-health and substance-use services with the opening of the Foundry centre’s permanent location.

Foundry Richmond provides young people 12-24 and their families free and confidential age- friendly services to fit their unique needs, such as mental-health and substance-use counselling, medical services, peer support and social services.

“Young people have been dealing with immense pressures and health challenges made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic, the toxic drug crisis and climate emergencies,” said Sheila Malcolmson, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. “Foundry Richmond is a beacon for young people where they can get the help they need, when they need it, right in their own community.”

Foundry Richmond is operated by Vancouver Coast Health, and after providing limited services at a temporary location, the centre is fully operational at 101-5811 Cooney Rd. The Province is providing $700,000 in annual funding for operations and services at Foundry Richmond.

There are 13 Foundry centres open throughout the province in Vancouver-Granville, North Shore (North Vancouver), Campbell River, Ridge Meadows, Abbotsford, Kelowna, Prince George, Victoria, Penticton, Terrace, Comox Valley, Langley and Richmond.

An additional 10 new Foundry centres are in development in Burns Lake, East Kootenay (Cranbrook), Port Hardy, Sea to Sky (Squamish), Surrey, Cariboo-Chilcotin (Williams Lake), Fort St. John, Tri-Cities, Kamloops and the Sunshine Coast. Foundry services can also be accessed from anywhere through the Foundry BC app, phone or at: foundrybc.ca/virtual