‘This is going to help people’: North Bay’s new addictions treatment centre set to open next summer
The Northern Ontario Addiction Treatment Centre of Excellence coming to North Bay is a step closer to becoming a reality. It will be located in the old Farquhar Chrysler Dealership on Lakeshore Drive.
This planned facility will act as a treatment centre for people suffering from mental health and addictions. The centre will consist of 24 addictions treatment beds, nine withdrawal services beds and 20 supportive treatment beds.
"We keep putting initiatives in place but new drugs just keep coming in on the streets,” said Pat Cliche the chair for the Community Drug Strategy North Bay and Area.
“So yes, this is going to help those people that really want to be helped."
In February, the Ontario Government announced an investment of $6.84 million for 53 new addictions treatment beds to address the ongoing mental health and addictions crisis the city is facing.
"As part of my work, I’ve read a lot of studies that show that if you're going to support people, you need to support them where they live and when you don't they go looking for help elsewhere,” said Ontario’s Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Michael Tibollo.
The centre has suffered from a few delays. It was hoped it would be open a year and a half ago. Issues with the pandemic and supply chain slowed it down.
"The plans are finished. We have a lot of the materials here. Now it's all about starting in earnest with the renovations,” said George Burton, the president and CEO of Canadore College.
The challenge, once open, will be finding staff and getting them adequately trained. That's where Canadore College comes in. The school will manage the treatment centre and will work to train the staff.
"We hope to have our staff on board by the end of March. That'll give us a couple of months of team forming and look at the model of care," said Burton.
Tibollo said it was an easy decision to partner with the post-secondary institution..
"Because of its excellent programs in nursing and addictions treatments,” he stated. “These are going to be the leaders of the future."
The centre's first entourage of staff will be made up of a team of 14. The college will look at ways to incorporate some of its programs into the centre so students can get a hands-on experience at the site, working with patients.
"It's something that we have needed for a long time,” said Cliche.
The centre is slated to open in the summer of 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
BREAKING Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
'Unacceptable': Trudeau reacts after AFN chief says headdress taken from plane cabin
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief said her headdress was taken from an airplane cabin this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the incident 'unacceptable' and a 'mistake' on the part of Air Canada.
DEVELOPING Bird flu outbreaks: WHO weighs in on public health risk
The current overall public health risk posed by the H5N1 bird flu virus is low, the World Health Organization said on Friday, but urged countries to stay alert for cases of animal-to-human transmission.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Regina police officer injured after being accidentally shot by fellow officer's gun
An investigation is underway after a Regina police officer was accidentally shot by a fellow officer’s gun during the search of a house early Friday morning.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
Island near Mull of Kintyre for sale for US$3.1 million
An idyllic 453-acre private island is up for sale off the west coast of Scotland and it comes with sandy beaches, puffins galore, seven houses, a pub, a helipad and a flock of black-faced sheep.