New plan in place to open addiction recovery beds in North Bay

After years of delay, the provincial government is moving ahead with plans to open 39 addiction treatment and recovery beds in North Bay.

After a plan to open the beds through an agreement with Canadore College was abandoned, the beds will now open in Spring 2025 under an agreement with the North Bay Regional Health Centre and Canadian Mental Health Association.

North Bay Regional Health Centre. (Eric Taschner/CTV Northern Ontar)

Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli said the agreement ensures that "families in North Bay and the Nipissing District will have access to safe, timely and comprehensive recovery services and treatments."

"By advocating for these critical beds, our government is closing urgent gaps in care and ensuring those struggling with mental health and addiction can receive high-quality support close to home," Fedeli said in a news release Friday.

The province had hoped to open a treatment centre in Summer 2022 under an agreement with Canadore. But after two years of delay, it announced in November it had "lost confidence" in that agreement and began the search for new partners.

That process led to the agreement with the North Bay hospital and CMHA. Another 14 beds are still to be allocated.

"These new beds will ensure people in the region will continue to have access to the critical mental health and addictions support services they need, close to home," the news release said.

Health Minister Sylvia Jones said the beds are an important part of the government's plan to "provide more people with the right care, in the right place, no matter where they live."

"I want to thank MPP Vic Fedeli for his advocacy to ensure these critical services remain in the region, connecting people to the care and support they need, close to home, for years to come," Jones said in the release.

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By March 31 of next year, 34 of the beds should be in service, with the other five operational in June.

"Once opened, these beds will provide a safe place for individuals struggling with addiction to connect to timely and reliable specialized addictions treatment supports, including withdrawal management services, intensive addictions treatment, and supportive recovery," the news release said.

"The government will continue to work with its partners to deliver the remaining 14 beds."

The 39 beds will include nine new withdrawal management services beds, 10 new intensive addictions treatment beds and 20 new supportive recovery beds.