At their last meeting, Kingston City Council passed a motion applying new conditions for funding of the Integrated Care Hub (ICH).
The ICH, located at 661 Montreal St., provides access to care and services for some of community’s most vulnerable citizens, including food, harm reduction supplies, and a place to rest.
Counc. Gregory Ridge, representing the district where the ICH is located, introduced a motion requiring Addiction & Mental Health Services (AMHS-KFLA), the organization that operates the Hub, to develop a security and safety plan and to establish a community consultation group.
Additionally, the city will analyze data from local emergency services regarding calls and visits to the ICH and the surrounding neighborhood since it began operations in 2020. Results of the analysis, which Ridge says aims to assess the ICH’s impact on the community, will be published by March 2025.
This motion comes after the attack near to the ICH site last month that left two dead and one critically injured. The ICH has been closed since.
“We have to recognize that these services are essential, that they save lives. We also have to recognize that there has been a negative impact on the community there,” said Counc. Ridge when presenting the motion.
The motion passed with a vote of 12-1, with Counc. Jeff McLaren opposed.
