Ontario invests $500K in Huntsville addiction treatment centre
The Ontario government announced it's investing an additional $517,700 in the De Novo Treatment Centre, which provides treatment to individuals in the construction and trades industry.
De Novo Treatment Centre in Huntsville offers a 35-day treatment program for those battling addiction.
The government has invested roughly $1.5 million over the last three years to support ongoing research into substance abuse treatment.
"This is our third round of investment through the skills development fund in partnership with the building trade unions," said Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.
"For me, the De Novo Treatment Centre is personal. I heard from a unionized construction worker back home. He told me De Novo saved his family and untimely saved his life," he said.
The centre's executive director Marie Lloyd said crucial research could continue with this latest investment.
She adds that the latest data found construction workers and servers are the top two industries where workers battle addiction.
"Part of it is, they're working away, long hours and for the construction industry, they're often away from home - they'll live in Sudbury, but their job will be in Hamilton. So, they live and work with the same people, so they party with the same people. It's an ever-changing field. What worked yesterday would work, but maybe we found out something new that we can use to at makes it work better," said Lloyd.
- Download the CTV News app to receive local news on your mobile device
- Sign up for the CTV Newsletter for all your local news sent straight to your inbox
Officials said in 2022, more than 2,500 people died from opioid-related causes, and of those employed, one in three worked in construction.
"We know that there are so many people suffering from addiction issues, and it's important to stand with those everyday heroes in the construction industry who are building projects that are families rely on to have the support of the government in times of need," said McNaughton.
Over the years, De Novo has seen roughly 7,000 people go through its centre.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Henry Kissinger, secretary of state under Presidents Nixon and Ford, dies at 100
Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, the diplomat with the thick glasses and gravelly voice who dominated foreign policy as the United States extricated itself from Vietnam and broke down barriers with China, died Wednesday, his consulting firm said. He was 100.
Ontario doctors disciplined over Israel-Gaza protests
A number of doctors are facing scrutiny for publicizing their opinions on the Israel-Hamas war. Critics say expressing their political views could impact patient care, while others say that it is being used as an excuse for censorship.
Here is what Canada's drug shortage situation looks like right now
Compared to the peak pandemic years of 2020 and 2021, Canada experienced an uptick in prescription drug shortages in 2022 that Health Canada says has continued throughout 2023.
Annual Lego exhibit in Halifax inspires new generation of builders
Owen Grace has spent the last 20 years sharing his childhood hobby, Lego, through an exhibit he calls, 'Bricks by the Sea.'
'No concessions' St-Onge says in $100M a year news deal with Google
The Canadian government has reached a deal with Google over the Online News Act that will see the tech giant pay $100 million annually to publishers, and continue to allow access to Canadian news content on its platform. This comes after Google had threatened to block news on its platform when the contentious new rules come into effect next month.
'We wish we could've reached that kid earlier,' says online educator about boy's suicide after apparent sextortion
The chat may seem innocuous at first. The victims, often young men or boys, start communicating with someone posing as a young girl, typically on the popular social media platforms Instagram and Snapchat. But with sextortion, which occurs when people are blackmailed for money or sexual favours, 'sextorters' convince them to share a sexual photo or video.
Live updates Hamas frees 10 Israeli women and children, 4 Thai nationals
Ten Israeli women and children and four Thai nationals held captive in Gaza were freed by Hamas, and Israel followed with the release of a group of Palestinian prisoners Thursday. It was the latest exchange of hostages for prisoners under a temporary ceasefire in the Gaza war. Two Russian-Israeli women were also freed by Hamas in a separate release.
Provinces are moving away from pap smears, but more infrastructure is needed
Some provinces are moving to HPV tests as the primary mode of cervical cancer screening, and others are close behind, an expert says.
opinion Don Martin: With Trudeau resignation fever rising, a Conservative nightmare appears
With speculation rising that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will follow his father's footsteps in the snow to a pre-election resignation, political columnist Don Martin focuses on one Liberal cabinet minister who's emerging as leadership material -- and who stands out as a fresh-faced contrast to the often 'angry and abrasive' leader of the Conservatives.