Ontario Opens Nine New Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment Hubs, Replacing Injection Sites Near Schools
Toronto — The Ontario government has opened the first nine of its new Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hubs, marking a significant shift in how the province delivers addiction services. The new sites replace former drug injection locations that were operating within 200 metres of schools or child-care centres in Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton, Kitchener, Guelph, and Thunder Bay.
The transition is part of a larger $550 million investment to create 28 HART Hubs across Ontario. The move comes after sustained public concern about the safety of supervised consumption services near places where children and families gather. Under the new HART model, none of the hubs will offer drug consumption, needle exchange, or safer supply services. Instead, the focus will be on comprehensive mental health and addictions treatment, peer support, and long-term recovery programs.
“Communities and families across Ontario have made it clear that drug injection sites near schools and child-care centres make communities unsafe,” said Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Sylvia Jones in the April 1 release. She added that the new HART Hubs will help people “break the cycle of addiction” while making neighbourhoods safer.
The newly transitioned HART Hubs will receive up to four times more funding than when they operated as injection sites. Over time, each hub is expected to offer integrated services, including mental health and addiction treatment, primary care, employment support, and social services tailored to local needs.
Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Vijay Thanigasalam emphasized the dual goals of the HART initiative: “We’re ensuring that people struggling with addiction get the treatment and support they need to recover,” he said, while also prioritizing the safety of children and families near schools.
In addition to the support services, the nine HART Hubs will contribute to the creation of an estimated 560 new supportive housing units. These units aim to provide individuals experiencing homelessness and addiction with a pathway toward long-term stability.
The remaining 19 HART Hubs were selected following a province-wide call for proposals and are expected to open as soon as possible.
The initiative is supported by multiple provincial ministries, including Health, Municipal Affairs and Housing, Children, Community and Social Services, and Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. It builds on Ontario’s broader Roadmap to Wellness strategy, which includes $3.8 billion in mental health investments over 10 years and targeted funding for youth wellness hubs, police-partnered mobile crisis teams, and Indigenous-led healing programs.
The government’s move aligns with the Community Care and Recovery Act, 2024, which restricts municipalities from pursuing federal exemptions to decriminalize drugs or operate consumption sites without provincial approval.
Follow GTA Today on social media for more local news and updates. #GTAToday
