Our Vision

Our vision is to create a central organizational hub on the Queen Street site that allows CAMH to draw on its interdisciplinary strengths in order to pursue a client-centered philosophy within an improved and healthy physical setting. The hub will:

provide a healthy environment to promote healing;
enhance the ability of clients to access care;
be a place that balances a continuing commitment to the care of those most in need with the provision of services to a broader community;
provide the setting for a collaborative, interdisciplinary approach to prevention, care, education and research, which enhances the ability to serve clients; and,
help eliminate the stigma associated with mental health, addiction and the Queen Street site.

The Vision is based on three master planning objectives:

Create a hub on the Queen Street site -- The Queen Street site will be the organizational hub of CAMH. It will be designed to facilitate interaction and collaboration amongst the main organizational components of client care, prevention, education and research. The hub will be linked to a network of community-based programs in satellite locations. Related programs and educational and research facilities will be located at the hub in order to establish it as a multi-purpose health care, education and research village.

Design the Queen Street hub as an urban village -- The institutional stigma related to the Queen Street site will be replaced with a real community setting for client care. Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care guidelines note that health-promoting spaces require a normalization of activities within a village environment. The hub will be designed with a pattern of buildings, street, sidewalks and open spaces that will integrate with the surrounding neighbourhood and create an urban village. It will contain a mix of uses and activities, creating a safe, comfortable and welcoming place.

Respect the landscape on the Queen Street site -- The existing landscape is a significant resource. It will be maintained and improved to create a high-quality, client-centered and health-promoting environment. The landscape features will have many functions, including: private healing spaces for clients; public open spaces and activity areas to integrate with the surrounding community; and, attractive public amenities along the streets and sidewalks.

Years of planning and preparation for the redevelopment began to take physical form in the fall of 2006, when construction began on Phase 1a of the redevelopment project. This first phases involves the construction of four new buildings, one new public park, the extension of municipal services (including a new road) onto our site and the repair of the western sections of the Heritage Wall which borders our site. In all, Phase 1a will house 48 beds for our Addictions program and 24 for our Mood and Anxiety program in a more home-like setting. These new 'Alternate Milieu' buildings will enhance our ability to provide a high level of care for our clients.

The full Redevelopment Project Vision and Policies is also available.