NEWS RELEASE
COUNTY OF SIMCOE
*************************
The County of Simcoe, along with identified key partners, recognizes a considerable need for integrated community-based services to address a homelessness health crisis through the establishment of a Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hub.
As such, the County of Simcoe has applied to the Government of Ontario to host one of 10 HART facilities in the province.
Primary partners included as part of the application are Barrie and Area Ontario Health Team, Barrie Native Friendship Centre, Canadian Mental Health Association — Simcoe County branch, (CMHA SCB), Mamaway Wiidokdaadwin IIPCT/Barrie Area Native Advisory Circle (BANAC), Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH), Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care, and Barrie Cares.
Since launching its 10-point homelessness prevention strategy in 2023, the county has been making significant investments and enhancements to social services programs and supports in Barrie and our communities. Within this 10-point plan, the pillars we have created include improving safety and well-being, creating easier ways to access services, enhancing our community shelter services and standards, and finding new opportunities. The HART Hub is one more tool that is available to us to complement these pillars and provide even better support for this vulnerable population within our community.
In addition to supporting this pillar, we also believe this project will help increase our efforts to move residents who have been living “rough” or staying in shelters to more stable housing outcomes. We’ve seen this by providing wraparound supports in our Supportive Rapid Rehousing Program, transitional and supportive housing, and we believe this project presents this same opportunity in addition to the support with addictions and mental health.
Communities whose applications have been approved to house one of the 10 provincial HART Hubs will be announced by the Ontario Ministry of Health in December 2024.
**************************
