SARNIA, Ont. — The Ontario government has opened a new Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hub in Lambton County, expanding access to integrated mental health, addictions, housing and social supports as part of a provincewide effort to strengthen community safety and recovery-focused care.
The Lambton County site is among 28 HART Hubs being rolled out across Ontario under an almost $550 million provincial investment aimed at improving access to treatment and recovery services for people facing housing instability, mental health challenges and substance use disorders. The initiative forms part of the government’s broader strategy to modernize mental health and addictions care while reducing pressure on emergency and justice systems.
“We are building a stronger, more connected system of mental health and addictions care that better reflects the needs of communities and focuses on lasting recovery,” said Vijay Thanigasalam, Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. “The opening of this new HART Hub will ensure that people struggling with mental health and addictions challenges in Lambton County can get the care they need on their path to recovery, while keeping the community safe.”
HART Hubs are designed as centralized access points that connect individuals to a broad range of services, including primary care, mental health and addictions treatment, social services, housing supports and employment assistance. The Lambton HART Hub delivers care through partnerships with local organizations, including the Canadian Mental Health Association Lambton Kent, Bluewater Health, the County of Lambton, North Lambton Community Health Centre and the Sarnia-Lambton Ontario Health Team.
According to the province, the collaborative model is intended to ensure individuals receive timely, coordinated support that reflects local needs and reduces fragmentation across the health and social services system.
Services available through the Lambton County HART Hub include mental health and substance use support, primary care, mobile community outreach, Indigenous support services, transitional recovery beds, supportive housing for people with mental health and addictions needs, and drop-in services that provide access to food, hygiene facilities and rest spaces.
The hub provides transitional recovery beds at 275 Wellington St. and operates a drop-in centre offering resources at 210 Lochiel St., creating multiple points of access for individuals seeking support.
The launch builds on the province’s Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care and the Roadmap to Wellness, which together outline Ontario’s approach to integrating mental health and addictions services across the continuum of care.
Provincial officials say the HART Hub model represents a shift toward treatment and recovery-focused services. With that focus, HART Hubs will not offer safer supply, supervised drug consumption or needle exchange programs.
Local and provincial leaders welcomed the opening as a significant step forward for the Sarnia-Lambton region.
“Under the leadership of Premier Ford, we are delivering the people of Sarnia a connected health-care system. The Lambton County HART Hub brings together housing, primary care, and addiction treatment under one roof. This is about more than just health care; it’s about restoring dignity and building a stronger, healthier Lambton County,” said Anthony Leardi, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health and MPP for Essex.
“This opening of the Lambton HART Hub marks another significant milestone for our community. I want to thank Premier Ford, Minister Jones, Associate Minister Thanigasalam and the Province of Ontario for their leadership and partnership in making the HART Hub a reality. The Lambton HART Hub will save lives in our community,” said Bob Bailey, MPP for Sarnia—Lambton.
Municipal leaders also emphasized the local impact. “Lives will be saved and changed with the opening of the new Lambton County HART Hub. A massive win for Sarnia-Lambton residents. It represents a significant step forward in bringing specialized, life-saving care right here to our community, ensuring our residents can access the critical services they need closer to home,” said Mike Bradley, Mayor of Sarnia.
Service providers say the integrated approach will improve outcomes while easing strain on emergency services. “The Lambton HART Hub will allow us to intervene earlier, respond more effectively and support people with the kind of wrap-around care that actually changes trajectories. It will reduce pressure on emergency services, strengthen community safety and create new pathways to recovery and stability,” said Rhonny Doxtator, CEO of the Canadian Mental Health Association Lambton-Kent.
Provincewide, nine former Consumption and Treatment Services sites transitioned to HART Hubs as of April 1, 2025, with additional locations now opening. The program is expected to add close to 900 supportive housing units across Ontario, more than 300 above initial plans, as part of a broader $3.8 billion, 10-year investment under the Roadmap to Wellness to build a more connected and recovery-oriented mental health and addictions system.
