Farhi Holdings Corp. wants Health Unit to move to Market Tower

Farhi Holdings Corporation (FHC) wants to throw $5 million behind its vision for a wellness hub inside the Market Tower in downtown London.

If approved by the Board of Health, the corporation announced Friday it would welcome the Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU), which is currently in a legal battle with Middlesex County regarding its attempt to move to Citi Plaza, into the building.

A press release from the FHC says the Market Tower could be a central location for addiction, mental health, housing, and other crucial life-saving services. It goes on to suggest the wellness hub could also be the home of a supervised consumption facility.

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“I strongly believe a supervised consumption site as part of an all-in-one health service centre is needed in London,” said Farhi, in the statement.

“When it comes to critical social services, our organizations can no longer afford to duplicate and silo their efforts. The lack of collaboration and communication between organizations makes it too difficult for people to navigate the maze of services they need.”

The public health unit has already struck up agreements with two different landlords for supervised consumption sites at 241 Simcoe St. and 446 York St. in London, and has filed paperwork with Health Canada.

READ MORE: London health unit evaluating 2 potential locations for supervised consumption site

The health unit had plans for a supervised consumption facility at 372 York St., which came to a halt after public outcry because of an entrepreneurship centre at the old London Free Press Building, in which FHC plans to invest $20 million.

Also owned by FHC, 120 York Street, was proposed as a possible alternative afterwards, but negotiations for that location came to a stop too.

980 CFPL reached out to the health unit for comment.

“It would be highly inappropriate for us to comment on a proposal to move MLHU offices to Market Tower when we are in the midst of both an RFP process and a related legal case,” said Elizabeth Milne, Executive Assistant to the Board of Health and Communications, in an email.