Rehab Centers in Renfrew, Ontario

Addiction Treatment in Renfrew

Renfrew, a town of approximately 8,000 residents in Renfrew County, Ontario, sits in a region facing significant substance use challenges. While the county overall has seen declining opioid deaths—from 41 in 2023 to 29 in 2024 and 12 in 2025—certain communities within Renfrew County, particularly Pembroke, experience rates far exceeding provincial averages. Renfrew County has responded with innovative harm reduction initiatives including the MESA mobile outreach program and a new HART Hub that opened in February 2026.

According to the Renfrew County and District Health Unit, opioid-related emergency department visits dropped 37% from 83 in 2024 to 53 in 2025, reflecting progress in harm reduction efforts. The county distributed 2,442 doses of naloxone in 2025 and trained 304 community members on overdose response. Despite these improvements, Pembroke—the largest city in the county—continues to struggle with opioid mortality rates more than double the provincial average and four times higher than the county overall.

Treatment resources in Renfrew include the Renfrew County Addiction Treatment System, which delivers comprehensive alcohol, drug, and gambling addiction assessment, counseling, and treatment programs. The new HART Hub provides residential withdrawal management, temporary housing, and wraparound services. The MESA mobile program brings harm reduction, case management, opioid agonist therapy, wound care, and naloxone directly to vulnerable populations across the county.

County-Wide Improvements

Renfrew County has seen remarkable progress in reducing opioid deaths over the past three years. After peaking at 41 deaths in 2023, the county recorded 29 deaths in 2024 and just 12 in 2025—a 71% reduction. This decline coincides with expanded harm reduction programming, increased naloxone access, and the launch of the MESA mobile outreach initiative.

The MESA (Mobile Engagement Support and Advocacy) program sends teams consisting of a paramedic, an addictions counselor, and a crisis worker to the same locations week after week, building personal relationships with vulnerable populations. This approach has proven effective in rural and small-town settings where stigma and lack of anonymity can deter people from seeking traditional clinic-based services.

In February 2026, Renfrew County opened a HART Hub funded by a three-year, $6.3 million investment from the Ontario government. The hub provides residential withdrawal management, temporary housing, and integrated services including mental health support, case management, and connections to longer-term treatment. Additionally, Health Canada's Substance Use and Addictions Program awarded $1.8 million to expand the MESA mobile services across the county.

Treatment Resources

Renfrew County Addiction Treatment System provides comprehensive addiction services including assessment, counseling, residential treatment, and aftercare. Services address alcohol, drugs, and gambling addictions through evidence-based approaches tailored to individual needs.

HART Hub (opened February 2026) offers residential withdrawal management with medical supervision, temporary housing for individuals experiencing homelessness and addiction, integrated mental health services, case management, and referrals to longer-term treatment programs. The hub represents a significant expansion of withdrawal management capacity in the region.

MESA Mobile Services bring treatment directly to vulnerable populations through regular outreach visits. Services include harm reduction supplies, naloxone distribution and training, substance use case management, system navigation support, opioid agonist therapy (methadone, Suboxone), wound care, drug testing, and virtual consultations with addiction medicine specialists.

Getting Help in Renfrew

If you or someone you know needs addiction support in Renfrew, contact the Renfrew County Addiction Treatment System for assessment and referrals. Services are available throughout the county.

For withdrawal management and residential services, the HART Hub provides 24/7 support. Contact Renfrew County and District Health Unit at 613-735-8654 for information and intake.

Naloxone kits are available free of charge at participating pharmacies and through the MESA mobile program. If you use drugs or know someone who does, carrying naloxone can save a life during an overdose.

In a life-threatening emergency, call 911. Ontario's Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act protects individuals who seek emergency help during an overdose from drug possession charges.