The Ford government is facing a difficult decision as a deluge of non-profits compete to run addiction recovery hubs that are set to open before a number of supervised consumption sites shut down.
An initial process for groups interested in opening new government-funded addiction centres — nicknamed HART Hubs — closed on Saturday, with just over 80 non-profits indicating they planned to try and get involved.
The government is currently set to introduce 19 new Hart Hubs across Ontario sometime during the winter, with the $378-million project announced to replace 10 supervised drug consumption sites that will have to close by the end of March.
The process to open those hubs formally began at the end of August when the province posted a detailed application for groups interested in running new highly supportive housing and intensive addiction recovery centres.
The document said it would accept applications to run 10 of the province’s 19 planned addiction hubs, adding that the remaining nine sites would be decided through a “separate process.”
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Health told Global News that just over 80 groups had shared their intent to apply to run a hub with the government by the weekend. The formal application deadline is in mid-October.
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The figures mean the vast majority of those who want to open Hart Hubs will be turned down.
In its application package, the province said it would select the 10 sites based on community need, how ready a project is to open by the winter and how well integrated it is with other services, along with budget sustainability.
“Given the aim to have Hubs operational by Winter 2025, consideration will be given to proposals that can demonstrate well-established relationships/partnerships and pathways, as well as access to existing infrastructure,” part of the document said.
The application package said hubs are set to receive a budget of $6.3 million per year, with $1.3 million per year provided specifically for supportive housing. Another $1.8 million will be made available for one-time startup costs — with the Hart Hubs project currently funded over four years.
Hart Hubs are planned to briefly overlap with the supervised consumption sites they are set to replace, with the premier repeatedly arguing the latter has failed to address Ontario’s growing opioid crisis.
“That doesn’t work — I know, I’ve dealt with it within our family, I’ve dealt with it within our community,” Ontario Premier Doug Ford said in August.
“What works is rehab, detox beds, supporting these people with good-paying jobs, housing is absolutely critical and there’s a whole row of things, not just ignoring it. That’s my personal opinion — and we’re putting our money where our mouth is.”
The government has committed a total of $378 million over four years to the Hart Hub project.
The $378 million should result in 375 “highly supportive” housing units as part of the hub model, a government spokesperson previously Global News, with an opening date planned for the winter — between December 2024 and March 2025.
Advocates have broadly welcomed the hub funding announcements but are begging the government to reverse, or at least significantly delay, its decision to close supervised consumption sites to allow an orderly transition and avoid potentially fatal capacity problems.
“Keep our site running and the other sites funded until these new hubs are set up and then we could be doing warm referrals,” Barb Panter, senior manager of harm reduction and drop-in programs at a Kensington Market supervised consumption site, previously suggested in an interview with Global News.
“You come in and see us because we’ve got five years of relationships, and then we’re going to take you over to this HART hub, and we’re going to get you set up there.”
The government said that, while 80-plus groups had expressed interest by the Sept. 21 deadline, those who did not express interest are also still eligible to formally apply to run a Hart Hub by mid-October.
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