HART Hub Approved for Oxford

Monday, 27 January 2025 16:00

It will be operated by the Oxford Ontario Health Team.

OXFORD COUNTY - It's official, we're getting a Homelessness, Addiction, Recovery, and Treatment (HART) Hub.

The province has announced 18 new HART hub locations including Oxford County, London, Peterborough, Windsor, and Niagara.

Oxford MPP Ernie Hardeman is proud to share this news with his constituents.

"I am thrilled to see this important investment from our government. This funding will be critical in addressing the needs of our community, supporting those who are facing homelessness, and providing addiction recovery services. It's a step in the right direction toward building a stronger, more resilient community for everyone."

The province also announced nine HART Hubs for Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton, Kitchener, and Thunder Bay on January 2nd. This brings the grand total to 27 across Ontario and officials would like to have all of them operational by April 1st, 2025.

Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Sylvia Jones says the Ford Government is investing $529 million to make this happen.

"Our government is helping more people get the treatment and support they need, where and when they need it, by taking the next step to improve access to mental health and addictions services. Our investment to create a total of 27 new HART Hubs will keep communities safe and ensure timely and comprehensive access to mental health, support, addictions care, primary care, supportive housing, and employment services, no matter where you live."

The Oxford County HART Hub is a collaborative initiative between the Oxford Ontario Health Team (OHT), Woodstock Hospital, and community partners. Hospital CEO Perry Lang says the future is bright.

"Woodstock Hospital is proud to collaborate with our Oxford OHT partners to bring the vision of the HART Hub to life. We look forward to working with our community partners to offer comprehensive wraparound care to support our most complex populations through their treatment and recovery journey."

The Woodstock Hospital has purchased the former PUC building located at 16 Graham Street in Woodstock for this hub. This means it will be close to lots of community service providers and its proximity to the downtown core will make it more accessible.

Woodstock Mayor Jerry Acchione says the HART Hub will be a welcome addition to the Friendly City.

"The province’s HART Hubs is exactly the type of model we had in mind when we identified a new priority action in our strategic plan at the start of this term of Council. We knew that bringing together care partners in this type of collaborative approach was the only way we can make progress to address this growing issue."