4 more homelessness and addiction hubs announced for eastern Ontario [Video]

Ontario has announced the approval of four new Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hubs in Belleville, Brockville and Pembroke, plus a second one in Ottawa.

Last summer, the province banned supervised drug consumption sites within 200 metres of schools and child-care centres, saying they were failing to divert clients into treatment programs.

Instead, it’s shifting to the hub model that it said could offer shelter beds, addiction care, primary care, supportive housing, employment support and more. They won’t offer “safer” supply, supervised drug consumption or needle exchange.

Health providers had to apply to open these hubs. The first cohort of nine hubs included the Somerset West Community Health Centre in Ottawa’s Chinatown, which has a supervised site that’s being forced to close.

On Monday, Ontario announced another 18 HART Hubs. All 27 announced so far are aiming to open by April 1, the province said in the news release.