When Ontario health minister Sylvia Jones announced on Monday funding for 19 homeless and addiction recovery treatment hubs, the one for Cochrane District was not included.
It’s intended for the former Ramada Inn on Riverside Dr. in Timmins.
Mayor Michelle Bolieau, who chairs the Cochrane District Services Board, says it goes without saying that there’s a level of disappointment.
“Essentially, it means now that it’s back to the drawing board,” she states. “We reconvene as a table, as a board, as community partners and try to determine what the best path forward is now.”
Boileau says when the HART Hub funding program was first unveiled, CDSB and its partners were already working on their own concept.
“But moving forward with the Wellness Centre of Excellence as we were developing, it definitely did hinge on our community partners receiving the funding.”
Boileau says all the partner agencies that deal with homelessness, addiction and mental health are currently at capacity. They need the HART Hub to be able to offer more.
