By Trevor Knapaysweet [1]
BELLEVILLE – A detox centre was a major talking point of Belleville’s regular council meeting on Monday.
The city will not finance the centre, instead it will look to the province’s Ministry of Health for assistance in funding.
The detox centre is intended to be part of the support network that The Bridge [2] hub will offer to those who are experiencing homelessness and drug addiction in Belleville and the surrounding areas. The plan is to have short-term and long-term beds and care available. The Bridge will work in tandem with the detox centre to provide wrap around support for those in need, and assist with transitioning to regular housing, if needed.
This method will provide one to two years of assistance with counselling to be provided after that. Mayor Neil Ellis notes that this model works around the world, including countries in Europe.
A report read by Chief Administrative Officer, Rod Bovay, informed council a search is underway for the ideal location of the detox centre. The mayor met with representatives of a private company that builds detox centres. They have looked at numerous suitable areas for the centre. The search is still underway.
“They were in for about a week but couldn’t find a suitable building that was for sale,” said Ellis.
“The next step would be to find land and build it, but if there’s a building that comes up in the interim that would then they would do that rather than have a one to two year build”
Representatives from Quinte Health Care and Hastings Prince Edward Public Health, along with other groups, are developing a community health plan for Belleville and the region, which will be submitted to the Ministry of Health next month.