Ontario Opening Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment Hub in Sarnia

SARNIA — The Ontario government is helping create safer communities and supporting people struggling with addiction and mental health issues in Sarnia by building a new Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hub. This new hub is part of the province’s plan to support safer communities by investing $529 million to create a total of 27 HART Hubs across the province while also banning drug injection sites from operating within 200 metres of schools and licensed child-care centres.

"This investment by the province is a game changer for the Sarnia-Lambton community. On behalf of all residents of Sarnia-Lambton, I want to thank Premier Doug Ford, and Ontario’s Minister of Health, Sylvia Jones, for approving the Sarnia-Lambton Homelessness and Addiction Recover Treatment Hub,” said Sarnia-Lambton MPP, Bob Bailey. The Sarnia-Lambton HART Hub will save lives in our community and create hope for individuals, and their families, struggling to break free from the grip of addiction."

Sarnia’s HART Hubs, similar to existing hub models in Ontario that have successfully provided people with care, will reflect regional priorities by connecting people with complex needs to comprehensive treatment and preventative services. Planning efforts to create the HART Hub in Sarnia are underway and the proposed services to be offered could include:

• Primary care
• Mental health and addictions care
• Mental health and addictions supportive housing
• Employment and other social services
• Services to meet basic needs

"Our government is helping more people get the treatment and support they need, when and where they need it, by taking the next step to improve access to mental health and addictions services,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “Our investment to create a total of 27 new HART Hubs will keep communities safe and ensure timely and comprehensive access to mental health support, addiction care, primary care, supportive housing, and employment services, no matter where you live.”

The 18 new HART hubs locations, including in Sarnia, were chosen as a result of a provincewide call for proposals last summer. All HART Hubs will have the goal of being operational by April 1, 2025. Earlier this year, the province announced that 9 drug injection sites in Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton, Kitchener, Guelph and Thunder Bay that are required to close due to being located within 200 metres of a school or licensed child-care centres have been approved for transition to a HART Hub. This brings the total number of HART Hubs across the province to 27, 8 more than initially planned.

“We are investing more than any government in Ontario’s history to create a nation-leading system of mental health and addictions care,” said Michael Tibollo, Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. “The new HART Hubs will give people struggling with addiction the support and treatment services they need to achieve lasting recovery.”

Through Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care and building on the Roadmap to Wellness, the province is taking action to connect individuals to integrated mental health and addictions services, where and when they need it.

QUICK FACTS

• To address the unique needs of communities across the province, Ontario is adding an additional 8 HART Hubs to the initial number earmarked, bringing the total to 27 new HART Hubs.
• The creation of HART Hubs is being done in partnership with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services, and the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.
• With a focus on treatment and recovery, HART Hubs will not offer so-called safer supply, supervised drug consumption or needle exchange programs.
• Through the Community Care and Recovery Act, 2024, the province has prohibited municipalities and local boards from applying to Health Canada for an exemption for the decriminalization of drugs. The Act also prohibits municipalities and local boards from applying to Health Canada for funding or entering into an agreement with Health Canada in respect of safer supply services or applying for an exemption or renewal of an exemption to operate a supervised consumption site, without prior provincial approval.
• Through the Roadmap to Wellness, Ontario is investing $3.8 billion over 10 years to fill gaps in mental health and addictions care, create new services and expand programs.
• Through the Roadmap to Wellness, the Addictions Recovery Fund and other initiatives, the government recently made the following investments:
  • $124 million over the next three years as part of Budget 2024 to sustain more than 380 addiction recovery beds and models of treatment like mobile mental health clinics.
  • $152 million over three years for supportive housing to assist individuals facing unstable housing conditions and experiencing mental health and addictions challenges.
  • More than $22 million over four years to create 10 new Youth Wellness Hubs that the government is adding to the network of 22 hubs already opened since 2020, bringing the total number of Youth Wellness Hubs to 32 across the province.
  • More than $650 million in annual funding for the Homelessness Prevention Program and $41.5 million for the Indigenous Supportive House Program, which the government increased by $202 million annually in the 2023 provincial budget.
  • Up to $16 million to support Police-Partnered Mobile Crisis Response Teams in over 50 communities across the province so that health care professionals can attend crisis situations.
  • Over $60 million in annual funding to support Indigenous-led mental health, addictions and well-being supports that will help individuals, families and communities heal from the impacts of intergenerational trauma and colonization through culturally safe and responsive programs and services that are designed and delivered by and for Indigenous people.

QUOTES

"The Sarnia Lambton Ontario Health Team partners, Canadian Mental Health Association Lambton Kent (CMHA Lambton Kent), the County of Lambton, Bluewater Health and the North Lambton Community Health Centre are extremely committed to working together, so that individuals will have access to safe and affordable supportive housing, and the necessary substance use treatment including additional transitional treatment beds and other necessary resources to care and connect with individuals at risk of, or who are homeless. This is an amazing investment, and one that will have an immediate impact on the mental health, addiction and housing crisis."

Rhonny Doxtator CEO, CMHA Lambton Kent

"A HART Hub location is a welcome addition to Lambton County. CMHA Lambton-Kent, together with Bluewater Health, the County of Lambton, and other community partners, are well equipped to provide a unique mix of supportive, wrap-around services that will meet the needs of our community. The Hub will provide fast access to these services and will add to those currently being provided by the County at the Housing and Homelessness Resource Centre. This safe and welcoming space will lead to positive, long-term results for both individuals seeking support and our community as a whole."

Kevin Marriott Warden, County of Lambton

"It's been a long journey to today's Hub announcement, which will provide comprehensive services that are desperately needed in Sarnia Lambton. These services will enhance what is already available to help our vulnerable population, including those facing homelessness, addictions, and mental health issues. A collaborative community came together to support the hub, and together we are building a stronger, more resilient community where mental health, addictions, and recovery treatment are priorities for all. To quote Helen Keller, 'Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much."

Mike Bradley Mayor of Sarnia

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• Ontario Approves Transition of Nine Drug Injection Sites into Treatment Hubs
• Ontario Protecting Communities and Supporting Addiction Recovery with New Treatment Hubs
• Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care
• 2024 Ontario Budget: Building a Better Ontario
• Roadmap to Wellness: A Plan to Build Ontario’s Mental Health and Addictions System
• Find out how you can access mental health support