The new Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hub in Lambton County is set to open on November 3, located at 210 Lochiel Street in Sarnia. The hub will provide seven acute withdrawal management beds and 30 additional beds for longer stays of up to 18 months. Construction is already underway, with beds expected to arrive by the end of November. The project is a collaboration between CMHA Lambton-Kent, Ontario Health, Bluewater Health, North Lambton Community Health Care, and the County of Lambton. It will also offer supportive housing in partnership with Indwell, providing nursing care and addiction support services.
Currently, the area’s homelessness rate remains high, with around 300 people on CMHA’s by-names list. Local shelters and withdrawal management programs are often at full capacity. The HART Hub aims to address this gap, offering barrier-free enrollment for anyone experiencing homelessness. It will also feature a drop-in area staffed with three to five workers helping 8-15 clients at a time. The project will receive $5 million in provincial funding annually for three years. About 25 staff members are expected to be hired. The hub’s goal is to provide support and housing for those in need, with a focus on helping individuals along their recovery journey.
Read the full story on CBC: