Canada's Ontario Government is set to open a new Youth Wellness Hub in Brampton to support young people’s mental health and connect them to substance use services.
The new hub, which is expected to open next year, will primarily cater to patients in the province’s Peel Region.
It is one of the ten additional centres being added to the existing network of 22 Youth Wellness Hubs located across the province, bringing the total to 32.
The Brampton hub will serve youth aged 12 to 25 and their families, offering free access to substance use, mental health, and primary care services.
Designed as a youth-friendly space, the centre will facilitate peer support, in-person counselling, and services aimed at providing culturally appropriate care closer to home.
Some of the additional services that will be offered at the new hub include access to community programmes, vocational support, employment, education, and housing.
Peel Children’s Aid Society is at the forefront of the hub's co-design, collaborating with youth and community partners to ensure the needs of diverse groups, including Indigenous, First Nations, and black youths, are met.
Ontario's 'Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care' initiative has been instrumental in the expansion of Youth Wellness Hubs.
Between 2020 and 2023, the existing hubs have seen more than 43,000 youths and their families use their services, with a total of nearly 168,000 visits.
The province's commitment to enhancing youth mental health services is further emphasised by a C$8.3m ($6.03m) investment over three years, as announced in Budget 2024.
This funding will support the establishment of five additional hubs, with their locations to be confirmed.
Ontario Mental Health and Addictions Associate Minister Michael Tibollo said: “By continuing to expand our network of Youth Wellness Hubs, our government is ensuring youth across province have convenient access to highest-quality mental health and addictions supports, when and where they need them.
“Peel Region’s new Youth Wellness Hub will be a place for young people to feel safe and connected to a community that supports them and helps equip them with the tools they need to face life’s challenges.”
