Local officials eager to hear more details on how newly announced HART hubs will work
Funding for 19 HART hubs announced as province closes 10 consumption and treatment sites
Local politicians and agency officials say they're encouraged by the province's announcement to invest in homelessness and addiction recovery, but they hope there's a seamless transition from the current system in place to help people.
Health Minister Sylvia Jones announced Tuesday that the province is investing $378 million in 19 of the new Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hubs.
As part of that announcement, Jones said consumption and treatment sites (CTS) — including the one at 150 Duke St. W. in Kitchener and the one run out of the Guelph Community Health Centre — will have to close because they're too close to child-care centres.
In total, 10 CTS across the province will need to close by March 31, 2025, because they're within 200 metres of a school or child-care site.
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But the province has said if a CTS that has to close chooses to apply to become a HART hub, they will be "prioritized."
Still, it remains unclear when the HART hubs would become operational. On CBC Toronto's Metro Morning, Jones said applications are currently open and will be reviewed in October. She said further announcements can be expected in early 2025.
Local agencies speak out
Julie Kalbfleisch is director of fundraising and communications for Sanguen Health Centre, which runs Kitchener's site. She says she is interested in hearing more about the HART hubs and what that could mean for the community.
"We want to have an understanding of what it means for us so that we can move forward in the best way possible for our clients," she told CBC News in an interview.
"We are wondering where we fit into that because there will be folks who will continue to not be ready to access treatment but still need and deserve to have access to healthcare. A lot of what HART hubs would be offering are what you already see at the CTS, so primary care, mental health services, addiction care and support, connections to social services and employment support."
Kalbfleisch said in some cases, people need supports before they can go into treatment and recovery, so it's hoped that kind of help will be something they can continue to offer through the HART hub.
The Guelph Community Health Centre took to X, formerly Twitter, and called the closure of the consumption and treatment site there "difficult news."
"We know that the CTS in Guelph saves lives and connects people to vital addictions treatment services, mental health services and primary care services," the centre said on social media.
"As a next step, we plan to meet with the ministry to understand our options, and to develop a transition plan to ensure continued access to low-barrier mental health and addiction support."
The Wellington Guelph Drug Strategy issued a statement Wednesday saying it was "deeply disappointed" by the news Guelph's consumption and treatment site will need to close.
The strategy's manager, Jean Hopkins, said they welcome the province's pledge to create the HART hubs, but they're also concerned the model may be ineffective.
"The WGDS has long supported a four-pillar approach to substance use care: prevention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery, and community safety. A move towards treatment exclusively will not provide solutions to this crisis," Hopkins said in the release.
"Treatment and harm reduction services must coexist — they are not mutually exclusive."
Tara Groves-Taylor, CEO of Community Healthcaring Kitchener-Waterloo said in a news release that they hope to be a key partner with the HART hubs, but they are concerned by the move.
"We know harm reduction strategies are crucial to the success of these hubs," Groves-Taylor said.
Hubs 'will lead to better outcomes,' Kitchener mayor says
Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic told CBC News that he, along with the Ontario big-city mayors caucus, have been advocating for "meaningful investment" to help people with addictions, experiencing homelessness or who have mental health concerns.
He said he welcomed the news of the creation of the HART hubs "as a meaningful commitment which we believe will lead to better outcomes for affected residents."
He said the city will work with the region, province and community partners "to support the required transition" to the hubs.
Regional Coun. Jim Erb, who also chairs the region's health and community services committee, told CBC News it's important they be able to "continue to provide meaningful supports to people dealing with addictions and mental health in Waterloo region."
"My concern would be the trust that we've been able to build up with the community that we've been serving at our site," Erb added. "We've built up a considerable rapport, relationship and trust. And whatever is going to happen beyond March, we have to be able to continue to work with that community."
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Erb added the region still needs to learn the details of how to apply, but he hopes the transition to a HART Hub is a simple process.
"There's too much of a risk if we're not able to provide that service seamlessly. And so we need to transition from one to the other without any hiccups in the system at all," he said.
Guelph mayor 'confident' hubs will have positive impact
On the social media platform X, Guelph Mayor Cam Guthrie said he commended the province for "moving forward with a detailed plan to save lives, restore families and improve communities struggling with the stranglehold of addictions."
He says he's heard from people, businesses and visitors who are concerned about the current consumption and treatment site in downtown Guelph, located within the Guelph Community Health Centre.
He said he's "confident" the HART hubs "focused on recovery, will show the positive results cities have been desperately requesting for our most vulnerable citizens."
He said he'll now focus on "doing whatever it takes" to review the criteria for a HART hub application.
Green Party of Ontario Leader Mike Schreiner, also the MPP for Guelph, said he is committed to working to make sure people in the city has low-barrier access to mental health and addictions health care
"That is why I will do whatever I can to support the Guelph Community Health Centre's transition planning for clients and staff," Schreiner told CBC News in an email.
"I will also continue to work with you to push for provincial funding for permanent supportive housing with wraparound supports as part of a comprehensive plan to provide housing with low-barrier mental health and addictions care for every single member of our community who needs it."
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