Somerset west health centre approved for transition to treatment hub

Nine supervised injection sites across Ontario will soon be transitioned into treatment centres, Ontario’s Ministry of Health announced on Thursday.

The sites approved to be transitioned into Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hubs are in Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton, Kitchener, Guelph and Thunder Bay and are located within 200 metres of schools and licenced child-care centres.

In Ottawa, the city and officials are preparing for the Somerset West Community Health Centre to close its consumption and treatment services (CTS) site in March.

In the same location, at 55 Eccles St., will be a new hub dedicated to blending primary care, mental health, substance use treatment with housing support and assistance navigating the health care system.

The hubs will be operational for treatment by March 31, 2025 — the same date that other supervised consumption sites near schools and daycares sites will be closed for good.

“Open substance use in public spaces in Ottawa will continue unless people have somewhere safer to use substances, whether inhaling or injecting, and unless people have access to mental health and addictions treatment when they need it,” a memo to council from Dr. Vera Etches, medical officer of health and Clara Freire, general manager, community and social services department, reads.

The transitions are part of province’s $378 million investment to support the creation of a total of 19 new HART Hubs across the province — a move that faced some resistance from advocates.

One study suggested the move will result in an increase in public drug usage, overdoses and overdose deaths due to a severe reduction in safe spaces to use drugs in the presence of trained health professionals.

“We have heard loud and clear from families across Ontario that drug injection sites near schools and child-care centres are making our communities less safe,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “Through these nine new Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment Hubs … we are taking the next step in our plan to keep communities safe while improving access to mental health and addictions services.”

The province points out that it’s investing even more money into treatment that will ultimately help people get back on their feet, rather than stuck in the perpetual horrors of addiction.

“These hubs will be eligible, on average, to receive up to four times more funding to support treatment and recovery under the model than they receive from the province as a consumption site,” a Ministry of Health release states.

The replacement HART Hubs are expected to get a $6.3 million per year investment with up to $1.3 million per year just for supportive housing. Ottawa applied for two HART Hubs, one to transition the Somerset West Community Health Centre.

The second is a new facility located in west Ottawa. The application was submitted by the Pinecrest Queensway Community Health Centre on behalf of 25 other partners. The application for the west Ottawa proposed site will be “competitive,” a memo notes, this is because the province is prioritizing centres that have existing infrastructure and relationships with the community.

Due to the city’s unique characteristics and population, the HART Hubs are needed. One of the things the city hopes the hubs will support is the need for transitioning people to permanent housing. There are over 2,800 people waiting on the centralized waitlist, 400 of those are experiencing homelessness.

The province notes that it made the case for closing and transitioning injection sites as a response “to serious safety concerns raised by communities, families and parents.”

“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.”

The locations and plans can be found in the following document: (source: Ministry of Health)

Sites for transition by CityNewsToronto on Scribd