Just over half of the planned Homelessness and Addictions Recovery Treatment (HART) hubs in Ontario, including those in northeastern Ontario, have not yet commenced operations. Health Minister Sylvia Jones had announced that all 27 HART hubs in the province would be operational by April 1, ahead of the general election on Feb. 27. These hubs aim to offer recovery and treatment services for individuals grappling with substance use and mental health challenges, but they do not include supervised drug consumption services.
According to Ema Popovic, a spokesperson for Minister Jones, only 15 HART hubs have opened so far. Popovic mentioned that each HART hub that transitioned from a drug injection site successfully opened on April 1 as scheduled. These hubs received initial funding from the province and have signed agreements to secure four times more funding compared to their previous funding levels as drug injection sites.
Popovic highlighted that the opened HART hubs encompass all locations in Toronto, Hamilton, and Ottawa. However, hubs like the one in Sudbury are yet to begin operations. A representative from the Health Sciences North hospital in Sudbury, a partner managing the city’s HART hub, expressed anticipation in sharing more details soon regarding the hub’s vital role in reducing care barriers and aiding individuals in moving from crisis to recovery.
Popovic emphasized the extensive planning and partnership collaboration required to establish new services in communities where HART hubs are pending, including in Sudbury. Efforts are ongoing to introduce new mental health, social, and addiction services, along with supportive housing units, to these communities at the earliest. All remaining hubs have already received their funding agreement letters.
Nickel Belt MPP France Gélinas raised concerns about the operational HART hubs primarily offering pre-existing services, as disclosed by Ministry of Health officials at the Standing Committee on Public Accounts. Gélinas expressed worries that the current hubs are not fully functional, leaving individuals to manage on their own, which can lead to unfortunate outcomes, including fatalities.