TIMMINS, Ont. — Uncertainties around funding make planning a proposed mental health and addiction treatment centre difficult, says the project lead.
At Thursday’s Cochrane District Services Board (CDSB) meeting, director of health Jean Carriere provided an update on the progress of the Homelessness and Addictions Recovery Treatment (HART) Hub application in Timmins.
While North Bay is also in the running for what might be one northern HART Hub location, the Northern mayors are advocating for stronger social supports and economic development with HART Hubs in all of their communities.
See related: DNSSAB recognizes 'no perfect location' for 24/7 hub
There was little discussion by board members on the item. Timmins Coun. Lorne Feldman asked if the facility will be low or high barrier and for an update on the partners, and Coun. John Curley questioned what the referral and treatment processes would look like.
The proposed HART Hub, which is part of the broader Wellness Centre of Excellence (WCE) initiative, is intended to be a centralized service facility for mental health and addiction treatment, as well as transitional housing support for individuals facing homelessness. It won’t allow supervised consumption on site or hand out harm reduction supplies.
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Carriere said the application group meets weekly, and noted planning is difficult because of the funding uncertainty.
“We don’t know when or how much funding we will receive,” he said.
The original partners are still at the table and those partnerships continue to grow, he said.
When the initial application for the HART Hub was submitted, there were over 30 letters of support from various community organizations, but that number has increased to nearly 40. Carriere pointed to ongoing discussions with addiction centres, women's shelters and treatment facilities as a sign of the increasing interest and collaboration surrounding the project.
He said the HART Hub is intended to be a service hub where various partners can collaborate, coordinate care and share resources. According to Carriere, the goal is to ensure that people are connected with the right care providers based on their needs, which may vary depending on their background and specific challenges.
For the proposed facility, CDSB is buying the Ramada Inn in the west end of Timmins. The agency is applying to be one of the new provincial HART hubs. The deadline to apply was Oct. 18. The CDSB has said that the funding announcement is expected in November.
That has not been confirmed by the Ontario Ministry of Health.
“As the Minister said at AMO, the goal is to have HART Hubs up and running as the CTS (consumption treatment services) sites within the buffer zone close by the end of March 2025,” said Hannah Jensen, Health Minister Sylvia Jones’ director of communications, in an email to TimminsToday.
Because the review is ongoing, Jensen didn’t comment on the total number of HART hub applications the province has received.
CDSB is asking for up to $6.3 million per year for three years and up to $1.8 million in one-time funding. Under the HART Hub model, $1.3 million of the $6.3 million annually would be specifically for supportive housing. Major capital costs for new or full building renovations are not eligible for funding.
Carriere reiterated this week that the facility is intended to be a sober treatment and recovery centre.
“This is not a shelter,” Carriere said. “The facility will provide treatment and transitional housing, but it will be a sober environment. People will come to the facility for addiction treatment, not to use drugs or alcohol.”
The public rollout of the project has been contentious.
Since the announcement in September, there has been a very vocal call from residents and some councillors for communication and transparency on the project.
See related: Timmins council wants more after 'botched' roll out of treatment centre plans
See also: Community involvement crucial for proposed Timmins treatment centre: Board member
A public information session in September left many people with more questions than answers and led Timmins Coun. Rock Whissell to resign from the CDSB board. At that meeting, dates for future public sessions were provided, but the events were not held.
In September, Timmins council called on the community partners involved in the hub application to present at a council meeting and clearly explain the model, what services would be delivered, and the potential impacts on the neighbourhood. That also has not happened yet.
This week’s report to the board said it is still working on a “robust communication strategy”. It says there are also plans for public information sessions.
Carriere acknowledged the need for community engagement and clear communication as the project moves forward.
He said they’ve been working to engage with local businesses, schools and organizations.
A project website, wceproject.ca, has been quietly launched but offers few new details on the project.
Whissell took to Facebook this week to voice his ongoing concerns about the project.
“Two months have passed since my resignation, during which I was assured that the citizens of my ward would receive comprehensive communication regarding the hub application,” he wrote.
“Unfortunately, the promised updates and transparency remain absent, leaving over 10,000 residents without clarity or answers.”
For referrals to the hub, Carriere said it would be through a formal process. He said the intent is not for individuals to walk into the facility and request treatment directly.
He said it’s similar to how the community paramedicine program works, where people are referred by family doctors, nurse practitioners, hospitals, or family members.
“Somebody could just not walk into the doors and request treatment. That's not the intent,” he said.
“Having said that, if somebody walks through the doors and requests treatment, we're going to make sure that they get transported to a facility that can start that treatment immediately and then they have an opportunity to get referred right back to our facility.”
Carriere also made it clear that the HART Hub is not an emergency department and the treatment provided will be voluntary.
As the HART Hub continues to take shape, Carriere said the role of the CDSB is to act as a convener for the various partners.
“One vision that everybody has in common within all of those agencies is improving the quality of life and the care that people in our areas,” he said.
Marissa Lentz-McGrath is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of TimminsToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
