Construction is finally set to begin on The Bridge Integrated Care Hub at 1 Alhambra Square in Belleville.
A building permit has been issued clearing the way for work to begin on the facility that will offer wrap-around care services for Hastings Prince Edward’s most vulnerable residents.
Steve Van de Hoef, Strategic Implementation Lead for the provincially-funded Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hub says all the interior demolition work has been completed and an issue with the building’s roof trusses has been taken care of.
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“The approvals, you know, came for that limited body of work in a kind of a step-by-step way. And the building permit now enables the full completion of the construction project.”
Van de Hoef calls it a milestone moment in the continued development of long-term, community-focused solutions to address homelessness, substance use, and mental health challenges within the region.
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“It’s really the efforts of a group of organizations that have been working toward this goal for a number of years. And so this is really a significant step forward for that group at The Bridge consortium as we move towards to the final phase of construction.”
Partners involved in The Bridge include the Canadian Mental Health Association, Belleville and Quinte West Community Health Centre, the Enrichment Centre for Mental Health, Grace Inn, Hastings Prince Edward Public Health, United Way Hastings Prince Edward and the John Howard Society.
The project comes at an opportune time as the number of unhoused individuals in the region has continued to rise to an estimated 300 people this year.
“This project is a positive example of organizations working together, combining their resources and expertise to expand and strengthen wrap-around care services for Hastings Prince Edward’s most vulnerable residents,” says Kara Petit, Executive Director, John Howard Society of Belleville.
It will cost almost $8 million to get The Bridge up and running.
The city has provided about half of that with Health Canada funding $3.5 million and $500,000 coming from the John M. and Bernice Parrott Foundation.
As a Hart Hub, The Bridge will receive operating funding from the Ministry of Health and some from Hastings County.
The facility will offer essential services including food assistance, primary health care, mental health and addiction counseling, and vital connections to housing and social supports.
While construction is underway, The Bridge will continue its current operations at 125 South Church Street.
1 Alhambra Square is expected to be ready in February 2026.
Construction updates and other information about The Bridge can be found at thebridgehub.ca.
