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Ontario Opens Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment Hub in Niagara Region

Press Release

March 27, 2026

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

ST. CATHARINES — 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 St. Catharines. 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 help to ensure that people struggling with mental health and addictions challenges in Niagara Region can access support services that prioritizes their path to recovery and strengthen community safety.”

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.

Gateway Residential & Community Support Services will serve as the lead agency for the Niagara HART Hub and will deliver services in partnership with a range of local partner organizations, including Niagara Region Mental Health, Regional Essential Access to Connected Healthcare (REACH), Quest Community Health Centre, De dwa da dehs nye>s Aboriginal Health Services, Oak Centre and Community Addictions Services Ontario Niagara (CASON).

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

  • Mental health and addiction services
  • Case management for mental health and addictions, social services, income supports and employment services
  • Primary care
  • Peer support
  • Basic needs (food, clothing etc.)
  • Indigenous services
  • Mobile clinic and community services
  • Supportive housing

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 HART Hub will be located on Queenston Street in St. Catharines and co‑located with Quest Community Health Centre and De dwa da dehs nye>s Aboriginal Health Services, within walking distance of other local supports.
  • While the Hub is located in St. Catharines, services will be available to individuals across Niagara region. Supportive housing units will be located throughout the region, with Hub providers travelling to meet clients in their communities.
  • 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.
  • HART Hubs are also adding 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 almost $550 million to open 28 HART Hubs across Ontario.
  • 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

“Addiction has impacted every family. We are connecting more people to the addiction treatment and recovery help they need to get better and contribute to our communities. This new treatment hub for our region will connect more people to the help and support they need, when they need it, while continuing to build safer communities.”
– Sam Oosterhoff
MPP for Niagara West

“The opening of HART Hub Niagara is an important step forward in strengthening how residents experiencing chronic homelessness, mental health and addiction challenges are supported across the region. Through the leadership of Gateway Residential and Community Support Services and in partnership with organizations across Niagara, these integrated services will help more Niagara residents access the care and stability they need.”
– Robert Foster
Acting Niagara Regional Chair

“As Mayor of St. Catharines, I’ve seen firsthand the toll that addiction and homelessness have taken on our community and for too long municipalities like ours have been left to manage the impacts without the full tools to support recovery. The opening of this HART Hub is a meaningful step forward, bringing together treatment, housing and wraparound supports with a clear focus on recovery and community safety. Our city has carried a significant share of this challenge for Niagara, and this is the kind of coordinated action our residents have been calling for.”
– Mat Siscoe
Mayor, St. Catharines

“HART Hub Niagara represents a major step forward in how we support individuals experiencing homelessness with complex addiction and mental health needs. By bringing partners together under one coordinated system of care, we are removing long-standing barriers and ensuring people can access help and housing when they need it most, This hub is about creating lasting pathways to stability, dignity and well-being for our community.”
– Margaret Beaupre
Executive Director, Gateway Residential & Community Support Services

Additional Resources

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Media Contacts

Anetes Anton
Associate Minister Thanigasalam’s Office
Anetes.Anton@ontario.ca

Ema Popovic
Minister Jones’ Office
ema.popovic@ontario.ca

Media Relations
Communications Branch
Media.moh@ontario.ca

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