New Inner-City Hub Promotes Health Equity for Hamilton Residents

Inner-city hub promotes health equity

Hamilton Urban Core Community Health Centre (HUCCHC) is a not-for-profit organization who owns an inner-city health centre located at 430 Cannon St. East in Hamilton, Ontario. For more than 25 years, it has helped address health inequalities including poverty, racism, discrimination, unemployment and homelessness in downtown Hamilton.

HUCCHC provides primary healthcare, community health and harm reduction services, in addition to mental health and addictions counselling, meal programs and more. Putting marginalized people first, HUCCHC’s programs support clients and are holistically designed to prevent disease and manage chronic illness.  

Developing the health centre was a long – and highly-personal – project, particularly for the late Denise Brooks, Hamilton Urban Core’s former executive director. For more than a decade, Denise worked tirelessly, lobbying for approval for this capital project. HUCCHC’s original facility was infested with mold, leaky, and generally beyond a state of repair. Due to the nature of its services, there were very few landlords willing to consider a lease. 

Denise’s persistence paid off as the Ministry of Health approved project funding, readying the project team to tender in the fall of 2020 and break ground on its new facility in the spring of 2021. The new two-storey, 16,000 sq. ft. Cannon Street East facility includes a multitude of programming in a purpose-built space. The building’s exterior is well-landscaped with vegetation, lighting, outdoor seating areas and parking. Inside, patrons have access to mental health counseling, primary care, dental care, chiropody, addictions counseling and health promotion services. Since opening in 2024, the Core served 50 percent more clients, making healthcare more accessible for everyone.

Comprehensive project delivery

HUCCHC first engaged Colliers Project Leaders’ Advisory team to manage its community health capital planning process – otherwise known as its Stage Two business case. With the support of our advisors, HUCCHC was able to find a viable location, secure funding and move forward with the development of a new community health centre.

Being one of the first major projects HUCCHC has been involved in, our Project Management and Construction Solutions teams played an active role in guiding stakeholders throughout the project – from Ministry of Health funding approvals to building permits, resource and furniture and equipment procurements, move management and more. 

It was essential that HUCCHC could continue to deliver critical services throughout the transition from its interim locations to the new Cannon Street site. Breaking ground during the height of the pandemic subjected the project to various challenges – including delays, inflated material costs, and health and safety concerns. Our project team worked alongside the general contractor to mitigate many of these challenges.

Despite the roadblocks, our healthcare experts were determined to deliver this project – both for the community and on behalf of Denise. In honour of Denise and her dedication to the community, HUCCHC renamed the centre to the Denise J. Brooks Community Hub. 

Hamilton's new downtown community hub offers a reliable, safe and accessible location for residents seeking much needed health and social care services. The centre substantially upgraded HUCCHC’s capacity to deliver programming and promote equity in the healthcare sector.