Orillia is one step closer to opening a one-stop community connection centre where people struggling with drug addiction, mental health crises and homelessness can get help.
Council passed a motion at Monday's meeting to access $100,000 designated in the city's budget for this project. Funds are needed to move the project forward while awaiting an approved Health Canada grant.
"It's a big, super exciting project," said Coun. Janet-Lynne Durnford, who is with the addiction and overdose working group.
Durnford and Coun. Ralph Cipolla have been working to develop a place to help people navigate the complex health system. A major part of the project is getting the Health Canada grant to set up an office space, hire staff and run programs.
"We have been approved for a grant, but we have not yet signed the agreement with Health Canada," said Durnford.
The value of the grant will be made public soon.
Durnford also has a space in mind, and that location will be announced in the near future, as a lease has not yet been signed.
"We are anticipating signing an agreement with Health Canada in the very near future," she said.
Durnford and Cipolla co-chaired the former opioid crisis working group. What they heard is many health services operate in "silos" from one another, the health system is difficult to navigate and there are gaps in service.
"We heard from many front-line service providers and indirectly from people with lived experience where the gaps are in Orillia and what the city could do to fill those gaps," Durnford said.
Building on that knowledge, the addiction and overdose working group was formed. Its mandate is to create a community connection centre with system navigation.
"We are operating on the well-founded idea that connection is the opposite of addiction. Our goal is to make people feel welcomed and included and part of the wider community," Durnford said.
The centre will have staff who are knowledgeable about the services available in Simcoe County.
"It's really important to us that these services are integrated and not replicating existing services. Staff will direct clients to where they can get assistance with whatever their needs are," Durnford said.
Coun. David Campbell asked how success of the program would be measured.
"How will we know this will make a difference?" he asked.
Durnford responded by saying the partner will be Community Connections 211. It will be the employer. The supervisor of the centre will be tasked with data collection and will report to the city, and the city will report to Health Canada.
Time is the limiting factor. The Health Canada grant extends from March 2025 to March 2026, hence the need to draw funds from the city to bridge the gap, Durnford explained during the meeting.
"Funds allocated for the renovation of space need to be completed by March 31," she told council.
She said at least 75 per cent of the money drawn from the $100,000 fund in the budget will be paid back through the grant.
Once the centre is set up, staff are hired and programs are running, another step will be to secure permanent funding, she said.
"We really hope that this is something that is sustainable," she added.