Inside the Model: A Conversation with Isaac Hernandez

For Isaac Hernandez, Executive Director of North Wind Wellness Centre, the need for this model has long been evident – not because services don’t exist, but because they rarely ensure continuity of care. “The gap isn’t in what exists, but in how it all connects.”

ARCH is structured as a progression of stability. Individuals enter early recovery housing where they can access withdrawal management, transition into a 12 week treatment program, and then move into longer term supportive housing as they rebuild their lives.

"Over time, it became clear this wasn’t just possible – it was necessary." At the centre of it all is the Recovery Community Centre – a space that sustains connection throughout the entire journey.

Designing for Reality: Mukhtar Latif on Building ARCH

Development Consultant Mukhtar Latif approached ARCH not as a traditional capital project, but as a system that needed to unfold over time. “The design had to reflect a fully integrated recovery pathway.”

Foundational issues – land use, zoning, approvals – were resolved early, while the design evolved through consultation with partners. This approach allowed each component of the campus to be sequenced intentionally, ensuring that construction methodologies were optimized for purpose, cost, and speed.

“ We built ARCH to demonstrate that integrated recovery isn’t just possible — it’s buildable, scalable, and achievable. It took persistence and a strong narrative addressing local, provincial, and federal needs to attract the support required.”

Sustaining Recovery: Liz Flores on Community and Connection

Liz Flores, who oversees the new Recovery Community Centre, ensures that ARCH meets clinical and regulatory standards while preserving the integrity of its integrated approach.

“The Recovery Community Centre is the connective tissue of the model.”

The Centre blends Indigenous cultural programming – including ceremonies, teachings, and land based practices – with peer led support, system navigation, and wellness workshops. It is designed to keep individuals grounded in culture, community, and recovery at every stage. “Peer support doesn’t replace clinical care – it strengthens it.”

What It Feels Like: Tracey Harvey & Cynthia Barlow on the Journey

Volunteers Tracey and Cynthia have been involved since the program’s inception, helping maintain momentum when many thought the project had stalled.

Early in the needs assessment process, they saw firsthand what northern communities have long known: overdose rates per capita are highest in the north, and many individuals must travel far from home, family, and culture to access services not available locally.

"When people don’t have to keep moving from place to place, everything changes.”

What stays with them most is witnessing Isaac’s unwavering leadership and advocacy for citizens across northeast BC. Their visit to the communities ARCH will serve – and their meetings with the Peace River Regional District, the North Wind Wellness Centre Board, staff, participants, and families – revealed a shared sense of hope and excitement about better outcomes close to home. “Seeing the community’s hope made the urgency unmistakable.”

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