Kingston supervised drug site to become HART Hub

Ontario will end provincial funding for Kingston's supervised drug consumption site, which is set to close Sept. 30 and reopen Oct. 1 as a HART Hub offering mental health, addictions support, primary care and social services; the ministry says HART Hubs do not provide supervised consumption, safer supply or needle exchange.

Ontario's Ministry of Health has announced it will end provincial funding for Kingston's supervised drug consumption site. The site is scheduled to close on Sept. 30 and to reopen the following day as a Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hub. The ministry said the HART Hub will offer mental health and addictions support, primary care, supportive housing and employment services. The ministry also said HART Hubs do not provide safer supply, supervised consumption or needle exchange programs. Key points: - The province described the move as ending funding for the last provincially funded drug injection site in Ontario. - The ministry said it intends to double annual funding for the Kingston site to $6.3 million. - Kingston Community Health Centres reported being included in a March 13 meeting about provincial funding cuts but had not received formal notice from the ministry. - Kingston city councillors voted unanimously on March 24 to work with community partners to apply for a HART Hub. - The report notes the ministry did not respond to repeated media inquiries in March and April. Summary: The provincial announcement sets a timeline: the supervised consumption site will close on Sept. 30 and reopen Oct. 1 as a HART Hub offering clinical and social supports but not supervised consumption, safer supply or needle-exchange programs. The ministry says annual funding for the site will increase to $6.3 million. The practical effects for service users and providers in the months ahead are expected to follow from the scheduled transition.