City and partner resources in place to respond to Consumption and Treatment Service funding suspension

Backgrounder

In March 2026, the Province of Ontario announced it would suspend funding for Consumption and Treatment Service (CTS) sites in communities served by a Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hub. 

As a result, Ottawa’s two CTS sites – Ottawa Inner City Health at Shepherds of Good Hope and Sandy Hill Community Health Centre – are expected to close in June. 

The City and its partners are working together to provide safety, supports, cleanliness and rapid response across downtown Ottawa. There are tools, resources and services available to address these impacts and support residents, businesses and communities. 

Health, outreach and community supports

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) continues to provide harm reduction services, including naloxone distribution and referrals to health and social services through its clinic at 179 Clarence Street and mobile harm reduction van. 

Residents and businesses can access OPH’s Mental Health, Addictions and Substance Use Health Support Toolkit with resources and more information at ottawapublichealth.ca.

The City also continues to work with community partners to support individuals experiencing homelessness, mental health challenges and substance use issues through: 

• Housing focused support programs
• Implementation of the Unsheltered Homelessness Outreach Model (UHOM), including work toward a centralized dispatch system accessible through 3-1-1, with phased implementation beginning in summer 2026

In the Lowertown (ByWard Market) and Centretown neighbourhoods, the Ottawa Paramedic Service deploys an Advanced Care Paramedic with enhanced and ongoing training in substance use disorders and mental health. 

Downtown safety and vitality

The City and its partners continue to support a safe and welcoming downtown through coordinated outreach, public space maintenance, transit safety initiatives and community partnerships. 

Street and public space maintenance

The City continues to enhance cleaning and maintenance efforts in key downtown areas.

This work includes: 

• Retrieval of discarded needles and hazardous waste
• Enhanced street and sidewalk cleaning
• Collaboration between City services and community partners

Residents and businesses can report discarded needles and other non-emergency concerns through 3-1-1. 

Community safety initiatives 

The Ottawa Police Service and OC Transpo continue to support safety, outreach and visibility across the downtown and transit network. 

This includes: 

• Enhanced cleaning and maintenance
• Increased staff presence, including the new OC Transpo Special Constable Community Visibility Team, and coordinated police visibility in priority downtown areas
• Secure needle disposal infrastructure
• Collaboration with outreach teams, emergency response partners and community organizations
• Proactive enforcement in areas experiencing public safety pressures and coordinated response efforts in shared public spaces, informed by operational data and community needs
• Community-focused outreach and engagement initiatives 

These efforts align with broader City initiatives focused on community safety, customer service, coordinated response and downtown revitalization.

Ongoing collaboration 

The City, residents and businesses all play an important role in supporting a safe, welcoming and well-maintained downtown. 

The City of Ottawa and its partners will continue coordinating local response efforts and monitoring impacts as the transition process continues.  

Related:

Full memo: Coordinated local response to provincial decision on funding suspension of consumption and treatment service sites