Ontario Making It Easier for Youth in York Region to Connect to Mental Health Services
New Youth Wellness Hub providing support closer to home
The Ontario government is delivering on its commitment to protect the provincial health-care system by making it faster and easier for young people to connect to mental health and substance use support. The Maple Youth Wellness Hub is one of 10 new hubs the government is adding to the network of 22 hubs already opened or in development, bringing the total to 32 across the province.
“Our government is continuing to take action to build a connected and convenient system of care that meets the needs of youth and their families,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “As part of our record investments to expand Youth Wellness Hubs across Ontario and supporting communities with the care they need, the opening of the Maple Youth Wellness Hub ensures young people have access to high-quality mental health and addictions services, closer to home, in a space designed just for them.”
The new hub offers free, walk-in services for youth aged 12 to 25, services include mental health and substance use support, primary care, peer support and social services. Additional services offered through the hub include supports for newcomers, employment services and access to community and social supports.
The hub was co-designed by York Hills Centre for Children, Youth and Families, in collaboration with local youth, families and community partners to ensure the spaces and services reflected the needs of the community.
“Youth Wellness Hubs are about providing young people with the supports they need to connect and thrive,” said Vijay Thanigasalam, Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. “By expanding this network, we’re strengthening Ontario’s mental health and addictions system and making it easier for youth to get convenient, integrated care in a safe, welcoming space that meets their needs.”
The milestone supports Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care, the government has significantly expanded the number of Youth Wellness Hubs across the province to make it faster and easier for young people to connect to mental health and substance use support, primary care, social services and more.
Quick Facts
- York Hills Centre for Children, Youth and Families led the co-design of the Vaughan Youth Wellness Hub with local community partners including 360 Kids, CMHA York Region, and Addictions Services for York Region, ensuring diverse youth voices were at the centre of the design of the hub model.
- Between August 2019 and March 2025, Youth Wellness Hubs connected nearly 73,000 youth and their families to mental health, substance use, and wellness services, accounting for over 367,000 visits.
- In the last year, more than 27,000 youth made over 134,920 visits to Youth Wellness Hubs across the province.
- Ontario is investing $8.3 million over three years to expand the Youth Wellness Hubs Ontario program by adding 10 new hubs. These sites will be located in Port Hope, Thunder Bay, Oxford County, Vaughan, Brampton, Akwesasne, Bancroft, Cambridge, Dufferin County, and Durham/Ajax. This expansion will bring the total number of hubs to 32, with more expected to open later this year.
- Between 2020 and 2023, Ontario established the initial provincial network of 22 Youth Wellness Hubs that are currently operating or in development: Algoma, Central Toronto, Chatham Kent, Eastern Champlain (Cornwall & SDG and Rockland & Prescott Russell), Haliburton County, Kenora, KFLA Region, London-Middlesex, Malton (includes Peel Region and Mississauga), Niagara Region, North Simcoe, Renfrew County, Sagamok Anishnawbek, Sarnia-Lambton, Scarborough, Sudbury, Thorncliffe Park, Timmins, Toronto East, Wellington-Guelph, West Toronto and Windsor-Essex.
- Ontario is investing $3.8 billion over 10 years to fill gaps in mental health and addictions care, create new services and expand programs through Roadmap to Wellness.
- As part of the Roadmap Ontario is investing an additional $396 million over three years to improve access and expand existing mental health and addictions services and programs.
Author: Pete Fisher
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