CAMBRIDGE, Ontario — The Ontario government has announced the opening of a new Youth Wellness Hub in Cambridge, part of a major provincial effort to make mental health and substance use services more accessible for young people. The new site joins a growing network of hubs designed to deliver integrated, community-based care across Ontario.
The Cambridge Youth Wellness Hub is one of 10 new locations being added to the existing network of 24 sites, bringing the total to 32 hubs province-wide. The initiative is part of Ontario’s broader plan to strengthen the mental health and addictions system through coordinated, youth-focused care that connects health, social, and community services under one roof.
A connected and convenient model of care
“Our government is continuing to take action to build a connected and convenient system of care that meets the needs of youth and their families,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “As part of our record investments to expand Youth Wellness Hubs across Ontario and supporting communities with the care they need, the opening of the Cambridge Youth Wellness Hub ensures young people have access to high-quality mental health and addictions services, closer to home, in a space designed just for them.”
The new hub provides free, walk-in services for youth aged 12 to 25, including mental health and substance use support, primary care, social services, peer support, and skill-building programmes. Recent renovations have expanded the hub’s capacity, adding a nurse practitioner’s office, improved group activity areas, and a larger kitchen for food and nutrition programming.
Located within Langs Community Health Centre, the facility also includes a gymnasium, walking track, courtyard, and community kitchen. It operates in collaboration with more than 25 community partners, bringing together healthcare and social service providers to offer a comprehensive range of programmes in a single location.
Designed by and for the community
The Cambridge hub was co-designed by Langs Community Health Centre in partnership with the YWHO Cambridge Youth Advisory Council, ensuring the space and its services reflect the priorities and lived experiences of young people in the region.
“Youth Wellness Hubs are about providing young people with the supports they need to connect and thrive,” said Vijay Thanigasalam, Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. “By expanding this network, we’re strengthening Ontario’s mental health and addictions system and making it easier for youth to get convenient, integrated care in a safe, welcoming space that meets their needs.”
This expansion supports the government’s Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care, which aims to deliver more accessible, community-based mental health and substance use support alongside primary and social care.
A growing provincial network
Ontario’s investment of $8.3 million over three years will add 10 new hubs across communities including Cambridge, Brampton, Thunder Bay, Port Hope, Vaughan, Bancroft, Dufferin County, Oxford County, Akwesasne, and Durham/Ajax. The new additions bring the total number of Youth Wellness Hubs Ontario (YWHO) locations to 32, with more planned.
Between August 2019 and September 2025, the YWHO network has supported nearly 78,000 youth and their families, accounting for over 367,000 visits. In the past year alone, more than 28,000 young people accessed services across the province through 134,000 visits.
These efforts form part of Ontario’s $3.8 billion, 10-year investment in the Roadmap to Wellness, a long-term strategy to close service gaps and improve mental health outcomes. The government is also investing an additional $396 million over three years to expand access to existing services.
Voices from Cambridge
Local officials and community leaders praised the new facility as a major step forward in addressing youth mental health needs in the region.
“The opening of this youth wellness hub means young people in Cambridge will now have a welcoming, one-stop space where they can access mental-health supports, primary care, employment and life-skills services when they need them. By providing this kind of integrated care close to home, we’re investing in the future of our entire region,” said Brian Riddell, MPP for Cambridge.
“I’m thrilled that doors are officially opening at this inclusive new space for youth in Cambridge. Here, young people will find a full range of integrated supports—mental health, substance use care, primary care, housing, employment, recreation, and more—under one roof. This hub is possible thanks to the Government of Ontario, Langs Community Health Centre and community partners who came together to make it a reality. Together, we are creating better opportunities and brighter futures with youth across Ontario,” said Carole-Anne Chiasson, Executive Director of Youth Wellness Hubs Ontario.
Other local voices echoed the sense of optimism and collaboration driving the project.
“Young people deserve easy access to the care and opportunities that help them thrive. YWHO Cambridge gives youth a voice in their own wellness, close to home. We are grateful for this investment in the wellness and futures of youth in our community,” said Dave Cooke, Director of Community Services, YWHO Cambridge.
“The launch of YWHO Cambridge marks an exciting step forward in building a stronger and more supported community. Our programs and services create a safe space where youth can connect, collaborate, grow and feel supported. We are excited to see the impact that YWHO Cambridge will have on the youth in our community, reduce barriers to services and to be a part of change,” added Jessica Pacheco, Program Lead and Mental Health and Substance Use Clinician at YWHO Cambridge.
