Ontario Opens Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment Hub in Lambton County

Press Release

Province supporting community safety and addiction recovery with 28 HART Hubs delivering care across Ontario

January 26, 2026

SARNIA — The Ontario government is expanding access to high-quality mental health and addictions care with the launch of a new Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hub in Lambton County. This is part of the province’s almost $550 million investment to open 28 HART Hubs across Ontario to protect the safety of children and families, while improving access to recovery and treatment services for people facing housing instability, mental health and substance use challenges.

“We are building a stronger, more connected system of mental health and addictions care that better reflects the needs of communities and focuses on lasting recovery,” said Vijay Thanigasalam, Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. “The opening of this new HART Hub will ensure that people struggling with mental health and addictions challenges in Lambton County can get the care they need on their path to recovery, while keeping the community safe.”

HART Hubs connect people to a range of comprehensive treatment and recovery services such as primary care, mental health services, addictions care, social services and employment support. The Lambton HART Hub delivers services in collaboration with partners including the Canadian Mental Health Association Lambton Kent, Bluewater Health, County of Lambton, North Lambton Community Health Centre and the Sarnia-Lambton Ontario Health Team, which is already actively connecting individuals from the community with the supports they need, when they need them.

The Hub brings togethers a collaborative network of clinical, social service and care providers working to deliver services tailored to local needs, including:

Mental health and substance use support
Primary care
Mobile care community outreach
Indigenous support services
Transitional recovery beds
Mental Health and addictions supportive housing
Drop-in services (including access to food, hygiene facilities and rest spaces)

Through Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care and building on the Roadmap to Wellness, the province is taking action to connect individuals to integrated mental health and addictions services, where and when they need it.

Quick Facts

The Hub provides transitional recovery beds at 275 Wellington St and operates a Drop-In Centre offering resources at 210 Lochiel St.
As of April 1, 2025, nine Consumption and Treatment Services sites successfully transitioned to HART Hubs, delivering expanded recovery and treatment services to ensure timely, high-quality care for vulnerable individuals while keeping communities safe. More HART Hubs are now opening across Ontario.
HART Hubs will also add close to 900 supportive housing units across the province. This is over 300 more than originally planned, helping people transition to stable, long-term housing.
In March 2025, the government announced an investment of almost $550 million to create a total of 28 HART Hubs across the province, nine more HART Hubs than initially planned.
This includes two Indigenous-led Hubs in Kenora and Sault Ste. Marie/Blind River/Sagamok, delivering culturally relevant care in partnership with Indigenous service organizations.
With a focus on treatment and recovery, HART Hubs will not offer safer supply, supervised drug consumption or needle exchange programs.
Through the Roadmap to Wellness, Ontario is investing $3.8 billion over 10 years to close gaps in mental health and addictions care and build a world-class system. This investment is helping create new services and expand programs across the province.
As part of Budget 2025, Ontario is investing $303 million over the next three years to support community-led and delivered mental health programs.

Quotes

“Under the leadership of Premier Ford, we are delivering the people of Sarnia a connected health-care system. The Lambton County HART Hub brings together housing, primary care, and addiction treatment under one roof. This is about more than just health care; it’s about restoring dignity and building a stronger, healthier Lambton County.”

– Anthony Leardi
Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health and MPP for Essex

“The opening of the Lambton HART Hub marks another significant milestone for our community. I want to thank Premier Ford, Minister Jones, Associate Minister Thanigasalam and the Province of Ontario for their leadership and partnership in making the HART Hub a reality. The Lambton HART Hub will save lives in our community. ”

– Bob Bailey
MPP for Sarnia—Lambton

“The Lambton County HART Hub is a major step forward for mental health and addictions support in our community. By combining health care, housing, and social services in one place, it will help people get the care they need quickly and support them on their path to stability and recovery.”

– Steve Pinsonneault
MPP for Lambton—Kent—Middlesex

“Lives will be saved and changed with the opening of the new Lambton County HART Hub. A massive win for Sarnia-Lambton residents. It represents a significant step forward in bringing specialized, life-saving care right here to our community, ensuring our residents can access the critical services they need closer to home.”

– Mike Bradley
Mayor of Sarnia

“The Lambton HART Hub will allow us to intervene earlier, respond more effectively and support people with the kind of wrap-around care that actually changes trajectories. It will reduce pressure on emergency services, strengthen community safety and create new pathways to recovery and stability.”

– Rhonny Doxtator
CEO, Canadian Mental Health Association Lambton-Kent

Additional Resources

Ontario Opens Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment Hub in Lambton County

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