Guelph, ON – A new investment across Guelph and Wellington County is strengthening housing stability for individuals with mental health and substance use needs by pairing existing community housing with enhanced clinical and housing supports through the HART Hub Guelph Wellington.
This initiative includes a supportive housing model delivered in partnership with the County of Wellington and Stonehenge Therapeutic Community. Through this model, 150 individuals will receive targeted housing stability and clinical supports to help them remain safely housed while addressing mental health, substance use, and other intersecting needs that place tenancies at risk.
This investment includes:
- Providing a pathway for HART Hub clients to access 10 subsidized County-owned community housing units in Guelph with wraparound supports.
- Supporting an additional 140 existing tenants in County-owned community housing units to help them live independently and stay housed through enhanced housing stability and clinical supports.
- Of these 140 individuals, 100 reside in Wellington County and 40 reside in Guelph.
This initiative strengthens existing housing by adding the right supports at the right time, helping people remain housed and preventing avoidable experiences of homelessness.
“These investments recognize that housing stability is deeply connected to health and wellbeing,” said Melissa Kwiatkowski, CEO of Guelph Community Health Centre. “By wrapping the right supports around people who are already housed, we can prevent crises before they escalate, support recovery, and help individuals maintain stability in their lives and communities.”
“As the supportive housing provider for this initiative and a HART Hub partner, Stonehenge Therapeutic Community is proud to deliver practical, people-centred supports where they are most needed,” said Kristin Kerr, CEO of Stonehenge Therapeutic Community. “We see every day that housing is health care. When stable housing is paired with responsive, coordinated supports, people are better able to sustain their tenancies, improve their health, and build stronger connections in their community.”
The supported housing initiative is delivered through the HART Hub Guelph Wellington, a collaborative model designed to better connect people with complex needs to coordinated mental health, substance use, housing, and social supports. The HART Hub brings together over 20 community partners to improve access to care and ensure people receive timely, person-centred support. By focusing on individuals whose tenancies are at risk, this investment helps:
- Prevent homelessness before it occurs
- Improve individual health and wellbeing
- Reduce reliance on emergency departments, shelters, and crisis services
- Strengthen overall system coordination across housing, health, and social services
“Today's announcement is a wonderful example of what can be achieved when several levels of government and community partners come together to address critical needs in our communities. By integrating health, housing and wraparound community support, the Guelph Wellington HART Hub will be instrumental in supporting the health and well-being of those experiencing homelessness,” says County Warden Chris White.
This approach reflects a growing recognition that safe, stable housing combined with wraparound supports is essential to individual and community health. By reinforcing existing housing with targeted clinical and housing supports, Guelph and Wellington County are taking a proactive step to support some of the community’s most vulnerable residents while strengthening the broader system of care.
For more information about the HART Hub Guelph Wellington and available services, please visit: https://guelphchc.ca/gwharthub/
For media inquiries please direct questions to:
Guelph Community Health Centre Media Contact (GW HART Hub Lead):
Melissa Kwiatkowski, CEO Guelph CHC
519-821-6638 ext. 308