Regent Park's New Model for Addiction and Mental Health Care

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 The Regent Park Community Health Centre has officially opened its Homelessness and
Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hub, joining Ontario's growing network of
treatment-focused centres aimed at supporting people experiencing addiction, homelessness,
and mental health challenges. Serving Regent Park and neighbouring communities including
Moss Park, Cabbagetown, and St. James Town, the HART Hub brings together addiction
treatment, primary care, mental health services, housing support, and case management under
one roof to provide coordinated, long-term care.

The opening comes as Ontario continues its shift away from provincially funded supervised
consumption sites. The provincial government has invested approximately $550 million to
establish 28 HART Hubs across the province, describing the initiative as a recovery-focused
approach that combines healthcare, social services, and supportive housing. Unlike supervised
consumption sites, HART Hubs do not provide supervised drug consumption services. Instead,
they focus on connecting people with addiction treatment, counselling, primary healthcare,
housing assistance, and recovery supports designed to help individuals achieve greater
long-term stability.

According to Nicola Holness, Director of the HART Hub at the Regent Park Community Health
Centre, the program was created in response to provincial legislation requiring supervised
consumption sites located within 200 metres of schools or licensed child-care centres to close. The Regent Park site transitioned into a HART Hub in April 2025 and now operates with an interdisciplinary team that includes social workers, nurses, nurse practitioners, psychotherapists, outreach workers, and community partners working together to support clients with a wide range of needs.

Holness said the hub is designed to meet people where they are by providing a welcoming
space and connecting them with the services they need. While the HART Hub emphasizes
treatment and recovery, she noted that recovery is not a linear process and that harm reduction
remains an important part of the continuum of care. Rather than expecting immediate
abstinence, staff work alongside clients to support their individual goals and build trust over
time.

Holness also emphasized that addressing addiction and homelessness requires collaboration
across the community. She said the HART Hub works closely with organizations such as Fred
Victor and other local partners to connect clients with housing, outreach, and specialized
services that extend beyond the health centre itself. As the Regent Park HART Hub begins
serving the community, its success will be measured not only by the services it provides, but by its ability to build relationships, strengthen community partnerships, and help residents move toward healthier and more stable lives.

(Article by Thomas Claudio - Youth Journalist  at Focus Media Arts Centre)


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