Funders & Donors

Minister Rick Wilson (left) and Dr. Victoria Burns (right) smiling and standing in front of a UCalgary Recovery Community banner

Primary Funder

The Government of Alberta is the leading supporter of Recovery on Campus, providing more than $3 million in funding. 

“We are proud to support Recovery on Campus, a province-wide initiative that is helping to build recovery-friendly campus environments.”

Minister Rick Wilson

Minister of Mental Health and Addiction (Pictured above with Dr. Victoria F. Burns)

Meeting the Moment

Addiction and recovery shape every campus, classroom, and workplace. Canada is facing an addiction crisis, and universities are no exception. Campus environments can be especially recovery-threatening, as heavy substance use is often normalized.

Despite this, most campuses offer few, if any, supports. Recovery on Campus fills this gap by supporting all recovery pathways for students and employees, transforming isolation into connection and belonging.

The Need

The need:

  • 28% of young adults will experience a substance use disorder.
  • 11% of UCalgary students identify as being in recovery.
  • 80% of people in recovery are employed, yet stigma keeps many silent.

Impact of Campus Recovery Programs

Campus recovery programs improve academic, health, and economic outcomes:

  1. Higher GPAs and graduation rates.
  2. Lower relapse rates.
  3. Lower costs and better quality-of-life than standard treatments.

In only three years, ROC has shown that recovery strengthens the whole campus community.

Priorities for Support

  1. Direct Supports: Increase access to recovery resources and connection-building.
  2. Education & Awareness: Scale stigma-reduction programming; expand recovery-informed curricula and engagement.
  3. Research & Evaluation: Advance recovery science through training, studies, data collection, and national model replication.

Contact

Dr. Victoria Burns

Associate Professor
Founder & Director, Recovery on Campus

Email Dr. Burns