Ontario Opens Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment Hub in Simcoe County

Press Release

October 31, 2025

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

BARRIE — 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 Barrie and surrounding communities. 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 Simcoe 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 Simcoe County HART Hub is open for service across multiple locations, including Barrie, Orillia and Midland. The Bayfield Street location in Barrie serves as the central access point for walk-ins and general inquiries, while services are delivered through existing clinical and community sites across the region. The HART Hub is operated by the County of Simcoe and the City of Barrie with a number of local partners through a collaborative network of clinical, social service and care providers working together to connect individuals with the supports they need, when they need them.

Together, these partners deliver services tailored to the needs of the community, such as:

Community outreach
Withdrawal management
Live-in addiction treatment and pre-treatment
Mental health treatment
Crisis support
Mental Health and Addictions Supportive Housing
Employment and social support
Indigenous-specific services
Primary care

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 Simcoe County HART hub has been offering services since summer 2025 and offers a unique, network-based model of care.
The Simcoe County HART Hub delivers services in collaboration with the Barrie and Area Ontario Health Team (BAOHT), Barrie Native Friendship Centre, Canadian Mental Health Association – Simcoe County Branch (CMHA SCB), Mamaway Wiidokdaadwin IIPC/Barrie Area Native Advisory Circle (BANAC), Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) and Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care.
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, to deliver 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

“The opening of the Simcoe County HART Hub marks a significant milestone in strengthening access to mental health, addictions, and housing supports across our region. This investment ensures that individuals and families in our community can access the right care at the right time, close to home. Together, we are building a stronger, safer and more compassionate Simcoe County for everyone.”
– Andrea Khanjin
MPP for Barrie–Innisfil

“This new HART Hub is a fantastic example of what can happen when all levels of government work together to address the concerns facing residents. Ensuring that vulnerable persons facing homelessness and addiction have access to services that address core issues will provide supports to those who need them. By approaching these needs in a wrap-around approach, we can improve the chances for long-lasting recovery and overall well-being.”
– Doug Downey
MPP for Barrie–Springwater–Oro-Medonte

“I want to thank Premier Ford, Minister Thanigasalam and the Province of Ontario for their leadership and partnership in making the HART Hub a reality here in Barrie. This new facility is now operational and already making a difference — helping connect residents to the mental health, addictions, and crisis supports they need, when they need them most. The HART Hub represents what we can achieve when every level of government, along with our community partners, comes together with a shared commitment to care, compassion and public safety. This is a critical step forward for Barrie and for the people we serve.”
– Alex Nuttall
Mayor of Barrie

“On behalf of County Council, we would like to thank our provincial partners for investing in The HART of Simcoe County, an incredible resource now available to support those living unhoused in the region who are battling addiction. We welcome this new resource that supports the integration of withdrawal management, mental health treatment, housing, Indigenous pathway and community services in coordination with our community partners.”
– Basil Clarke
Warden, County of Simcoe

Additional Resources

Ontario Opens Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment Hub in Simcoe County

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