NorWest CHC in Thunder Bay, the location of the current safe injection site - (Acadia Broadcasting File Photo)
Thunder Bay is officially getting a Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hub.
Nine safe injection sites across the province within 200 metres of schools and child-care centres are being forced to close and apply to be a HART Hub after the provincial government implemented new rules in August.
“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 Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, Sylvia Jones. “We are taking the next step in our plan to keep communities safe while improving access to mental health and addiction services.”
The newly approved hubs are in Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton, Kitchener, Guelph and Thunder Bay.
The province is investing $378 million to support the creation of 19 new hubs across the province.
The safe injection sites are set to close in March.
Once the hubs transition, they will be eligible, on average, to receive up to four times more funding to support treatment and recovery under the new model than they receive from the province as a consumption site.
To assist with transitioning, the sites will also receive one-time funding for start-up costs.
The hubs will provide services like primary care, mental health services including addiction care and support, social services and employment support.
The hubs will also be adding roughly 375 new highly supportive housing units and addiction recovery and treatment beds to the province.
Applications for the remaining hubs are currently under review, and the province plans to announce new hubs in the coming weeks.
All hubs have the goal of being open and operational by April 1.
