North Bay hospital, mental health association take over addiction beds

Article content

The addiction treatment beds that were slated to go into the former North Bay Chrysler building on Lakeshore Drive will be located within existing space between the North Bay Regional Health Centre and Canadian Mental Health Association – North Bay and District.  

Article content

Article content

Recommended Videos

Article content

The Ministry of Health announced Friday afternoon the health centre and Canadian Mental Health Association were awarded the contract.  

In November 2024, Ontario Health launched a targeted Expression of Interest to secure new providers for the 53 addictions treatment and recovery beds initially allocated to the Canadore College project.  

Ontario Health announced last fall they had “lost confidence” in Canadore College and took the project away from them.  

“Over the last two years, Ontario Health worked with Canadore College, providing them with considerable opportunity to get the addiction recovery beds up and running. Canadore frequently missed deadlines and was unable to address clinical and operational requirements,” said Hannah Jensen, spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health.

Article content

“Therefore, Ontario Health lost confidence in Canadore’s ability to meet the operational and clinical requirements needed to open the 53 addiction recovery beds. Today’s announcement will ensure these beds are up and running by March 2025, after two years, meaning people can access mental health and addiction care and support they need, close to home.”

Canadore College wouldn’t comment on the situation after the announcement was made.  

The Ministry of Health announced the two organizations – North Bay Regional Health Centre and Canadian Mental Health Association – will take over the operation of 39 new addictions treatment and recovery beds. 

The 39 addictions treatment and recovery beds in the Nipissing area will be located within current facilities operated by North Bay Regional Health Centre and the Canadian Mental Health Association – North Bay and District.   

Article content

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

It’s unknown what will happen with the Lakeshore Drive building that was slated to be used for these 53 addiction treatment beds.  

Construction of that building is slated to be completed early in 2025.  

North Bay Regional Health Centre and Canadian Mental Health Association – North Bay and District are expected to have 34 of the beds in service by March 31 with the additional five beds open by June 2025.  

The Ministry of Health says these two organizations have the clinical expertise and operational capability to get this project done.  

“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,” according to a media release issued by the Ministry of Health.  

Article content

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

“Under the clinical expertise and operational capability of the North Bay Regional Health Centre and Canadian Mental Health Association – North Bay and District, families in North Bay and the Nipissing District will have access to safe, timely and comprehensive recovery services and treatments,” said Vic Fedeli, MPP for Nipissing.   

“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.” 

(Catch up on what is happening throughout the North Bay area with our noon-hour roundup. Click here to sign up for the free newsletter which will be delivered to your inbox every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.)          

Article content