Ottawa to spend $15M to help build 2 mental health treatment centers for first responders
listen to this article
estimated 4 minutes
The audio version of this article has been generated by AI-based technology. There may be mispronunciations. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve results.
The federal government will contribute $15 million to the construction of two new treatment facilities in the Greater Toronto Area for first responders who suffer traumatic stress injuries.
According to Eleanor Olszewski, Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience, the funding will help expand access to specialized care for police officers, firefighters, corrections officers, paramedics and health care workers.
Olszewski said, “This is about changing how we respond to invisible injuries. Too often people who have these injuries face barriers to getting the support they need.”
He said, “These are the people who come through for us in moments of crisis. They care for Canadians when they are hurting, when they are overwhelmed, when they are afraid. They carry enormous responsibility and do that work every day under incredible pressure.”
Olszewski said first responders and frontline health care workers are particularly at risk for “exposure to trauma that can lead to traumatic stress injuries, depression, anxiety, addiction and other mental health challenges.”
The funds are also expected to help reduce the stigma associated with mental health issues and substance use among first responders, he said.
The two new treatment facilities will be located in Toronto and Caledon. Station No. 3434 in Toronto will be an outpatient clinic, while the Caledon Recovery Center will be a residential facility. Both will be operated by Runnymede Healthcare Centre, a rehabilitation and complex continuing care hospital in Toronto’s west end.
Construction is expected to begin next year.
‘Occupational stress injuries are real,’ hospital CEO says.
Connie Dejac, president and CEO of Runnymede Healthcare Center, said the two sites will create an integrated system of care with “multiple pathways” to treatment.
Dejak said, “First responders step into the moments most of us spend our lives trying to avoid. They rush toward crisis, uncertainty, and human tragedy and suffering, often without stopping and with no time or space to process what they carry with them afterward.”
“Occupational stress injuries are real. They are cumulative, often invisible, and if not addressed, can deeply impact individuals and their families and the communities they serve.”
Runnymede Healthcare Center estimates that more than 36,000 first responders in Ontario are affected by traumatic stress injuries, a number expected to exceed 46,000 by 2040.
Ontario minister says fund will make a difference
Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones said federal money will make a difference. In 2025, the Ontario government committed more than $10 million to the project.
“With today’s investment from the federal government, we are another step closer to putting shovels in the ground for these new facilities,” Jones said.
Station No. 3434, a six-story center called “the main gate to recovery,” will serve as a main site for outpatient services, including assessments, therapy sessions and care for post-traumatic stress disorders, depression and substance use disorders, Dejac said.
The facility will also have recreational programs and facilities to assist those who are recovering from their injuries.
The Caledon Recovery Center, “a place where individuals can go away from the demands of service,” will have 40 residential beds and the average length of stay is expected to be 30 days, Dejac said.
It will provide detoxification services, intensive psychotherapy and psychosocial treatment. Patients will have personalized care plans throughout their stay, with follow-up care therapy and support available to promote recovery.
