General News

County looks to recover costs over time for Edelbrock hub

July 23, 2026   ·   0 Comments

Written By JAMES MATTHEWS

Dufferin County will move toward construction of the Edelbrock Centre Health and Human Services Hub.

The county will cover the upfront capital costs with an eye toward cost recovery by way of tenant lease agreements.

The total anticipated renovation cost for the primary care space is about $2 million. Dufferin Area Family Health Team (DAFHT) has submitted a request to allocate up to $499,000 of its primary care funding toward leasehold improvements.

As approval from Ontario Health has not yet been confirmed, there remains a potential requirement for the county to fund the full renovation cost for this component.

Council previously endorsed the development of a Health and Human Services Hub at the Edelbrock Centre to improve access to integrated health, social, and human services. Work has advanced significantly, with partners confirmed, services beginning to locate onsite, and renovation planning underway.

The Hub model is intended to provide a coordinated front door to services, with expansion over time through hub, spoke, and mobile delivery.

Since March 2025, Council has endorsed the development of a Health and Human Services Hub at the Edelbrock Centre to improve access to integrated care and reduce barriers for residents. 

Subsequent updates confirmed the project has advanced from concept to coordinated implementation. A strong multi-partner structure, supported by a shared partnership vision has established clear alignment, accountability, and a unified approach to service delivery.

The Hub is designed as a one-stop integrated system, with future expansion through spoke locations to improve access across the county, according to a report to Council by Brenda Wagner, the county’s health and human services director.

This approach avoids duplication and future rework by aligning infrastructure and service planning upfront. It reduces disruption to services through coordinated implementation and phased occupancy, and it also improves coordination across interdependent systems, supporting more integrated and responsive care.

“Overall, the Hub is well-positioned to enhance service integration, improve client experience, and strengthen system efficiency,” Wagner said in her report. “The project has reached a stage where construction must proceed to maintain momentum and enable service delivery.”

A key challenge is that some partners do not have the ability to contribute upfront capital. Most notably, recent provincial funding for primary care is restricted to operations and staffing and cannot be used for capital costs.

“As a result, if the county does not fund the capital upfront, there is a significant risk of delays to both construction and service implementation,” she said.

Staff suggest a practical approach that enables construction to proceed immediately, ensures partners can locate and deliver services, and one that recovers costs over time through lease agreements.

This approach is already contemplated within the project, particularly for shared spaces where the county is initially funding costs with recovery through tenant agreements.

“Advancing the work as a single coordinated project will also reduce future disruption and avoid higher costs associated with phased retrofits,” said Wagner in her report. “Approving this approach will allow the county to move forward without delay, fully leverage partner and provincial investments, and establish a sustainable model for cost recovery.”

Readers Comments (0)