Bridge Integrated Care Hub moves forward with federal funding

By Sagardeep Dhammu

BELLEVILLE – The Bridge Integrated Care Hub in Belleville is making significant strides toward better serving the city’s homeless and vulnerable populations with the help of federal and provincial funding. Health Canada recently announced it would contribute nearly $3.5 million to retrofit the building into a full-service care hub, part of a larger $11.4 million commitment for 14 projects across Canada from the Emergency Treatment Fund.

The Bridge Hub – Photo by Sagardeep Dhammu

This funding will support the transformation of 1 Alhambra Square into a facility offering a wide range of services, including primary healthcare, addiction and mental health counselling, food assistance, and support for individuals experiencing homelessness. This is in addition to the $6.3 million per year commitment from the Ontario government to operate the hub over the next three years through its HART (Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment) program.

However, while work continues on the permanent home at 1 Alhambra Square, there will be a temporary disruption. Starting April 1, services currently provided at Bridge Street United Church will relocate to 125 Church Street South, where they will continue until renovations at the permanent site are completed. The temporary location will still offer essential services, ensuring continuity of care for those in need.

 “We are pleased to have secured a temporary location for The Bridge. Bridge Street United Church has been a terrific partner, and we’ve appreciated their support and accommodation for the drop-in program services over the years,” said Kara Petit, executive director at the John Howard Society of Belleville, in a news release,

Despite the progress, challenges have emerged as the renovation process revealed more extensive work than initially anticipated.

“When you buy a house, you’re not going to go tear the drywall out to look at the walls. You can have a home inspection, but even the home inspection on this place didn’t show that the ceiling joints, for instance, had to be fortified, which is happening now,” Councillor Chris Malette said in an appearance on the Lorne Brooker Show on CJBQ. As a result, the facility at 1 Alhambra Square will not be open for occupancy until this fall.

With the newly announced funding and the appointment of Ashley Vader as the new director of The Bridge, the project is on track to provide a comprehensive and integrated care model that will significantly impact Belleville’s vulnerable community. 

The temporary location at 125 Church Street South will open its doors on April 1 at 11 a.m., continuing to provide the vital services that Belleville’s homeless and at-risk individuals rely on, while the permanent facility undergoes essential renovations to better serve the community in the future.