Ontario Government to End Funding For Seven Drug Injection Sites Including Peterborough

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The Ontario Government is ending provincial funding for the seven active drug injection sites, including Peterborough’s existing Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hub, announced on Monday.

To date, the province has invested almost $550 million to support 28 HART Hubs across Ontario. File photo.

In late January of last year, the Ontario Government provided $6.2 million for Peterborough’s HART hub.

According to a press release, the defunding is part of the government’s plan to protect families and communities. This latest step responds directly to local concerns over public safety associated with these sites and furthers the government’s plan to fund treatment and lasting recovery from addiction, rather than continued public funding of drug injection sites, according to Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health.

“Our government is focused on treatment, recovery and safer communities,” she said. “Through our almost $550 million investment to establish HART Hubs across the province, we are ensuring people struggling with addiction can access the care and supports they need to break the tragic cycle of addiction and rebuild their lives while protecting Ontario communities.”

The province is initiating a 90-day wind-down period — 60 days longer than required — to give clients time to transition to support from their local HART Hub. With Peterborough, the other sites include two in Toronto, two in Ottawa, one in Niagara Falls and one in London. During this period, the government stated that it would work directly with municipalities and community partners to ensure a safe, coordinated wind-down of provincial funding for the drug injection sites and a successful transition to the new recovery model.

The defunding follows legislation passed in 2024 that prohibits injection sites from operating within 200 metres of schools and child-care centres.

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