Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Canadian Centre For Addictions's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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  Canadian Centre For Addictions

  175 Dorset Street W Port Hope, ON L1A 1G4

  
• 

  Canadian Centre For Addictions

  420 Division Street Cobourg, ON K9A 3R9

  

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:15/05/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Our 30-year old son has a seizure disorder that we have been dealing with since he was 8 years old. Following 9 days in hospital to stabilize seizures, he was admitted to the Canadian Center for Addictions in ******* (CCFA) (May 8th) where he was to complete a 30 day program to help him with depression, anxiety and alcohol use as it has a bad interaction with his multiple seizure medications. Our ultimate goal is to wean him from the benzos. During *******s intake, **** staff advised us to take his meds home with us as they only used pills that they have procured for safety reasons. At the time I advised the intake person that one prescription is hard to get. She ensured us not to worry. On Monday afternoon, our son called home in mental distress. The center had failed to give him his Sunday night dose of the seizure medication as they couldnt find any in the city. He had seizures all night and he was traumatized by the absence of help. He was alone in his room with a call button and every time he called for help, they gave him ******, the benzo we were trying to eliminate. ******* was at risk of falling, choking and going status. When we confronted the medical director of the Center her response was they did their best and denied the danger that ******* was in. ******* was genuinely frightened, emotionally traumatized, and medically set back. We picked up our son Tuesday. He was still drugged up. ******* was there from Thursday May 8th to Tuesday, May 13th. He was unable to participate in any programming on Monday May 12th as he was coming down from a near overdose of ******. Despite the major error and *******s incapacitated state, the **** refused to refund any of our $25, 425. They claim the service agreement states that after 4 days, there is no refund. ******* hardly had four days given the trauma and medical distress they caused. If pills could not have been procured in time, they could have called us before Sunday to deliver some. They were aware.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/06/2025

  Thank you for the opportunity to respond to the complaint submitted by the family of ******* ******** who was admitted to the Canadian Centre for Addictions (CCFA) on May 8, 2025, and discharged on May 13, 2025. We take this matter seriously and would like to provide a respectful, fact-based, and transparent account of what occurred, while also acknowledging the distress experienced by the family.
  Medication Protocol & Intake Policy
  Upon admission, all clients and their families are informed of CCFAs medication protocol, which is in place for clinical safety and quality control. Specifically, we explain that **** manages and dispenses all medications through our licensed pharmacy partners, and clients personal medications are not used unless temporarily approved under special circumstances. This includes:
  Prescribed medications: If a client arrives with clearly labeled, sealed pharmacy vials, we will administer these temporarily while our medical team procures the same prescription through our pharmacy.
  Over-the-counter medications: We will not administer OTC medications brought in opened containers. However, if they are sealed and in original packaging, we will administer them upon review and approval by our medical team.
  These procedures were explained to the family during the intake process and are part of our standard clinical and safety protocol.
  Missed Medication and Emergency Response
  ******* did not bring enough  of his prescribed seizure medications and despite ****'s best efforts to acquire this medication through several pharmacies and the local hospital it  not available for administration on the evening of Sunday, May 11, due to unexpected delays in procurement

  During the night of May 11, ******* reported experiencing 1 seizure activity, which our on-site nurse addressed using standard emergency protocol. In alignment with clinical guidelines, ****** (*********) was administered to help stabilize him. We understand the familys concern, particularly given the goal of reducing ************** use, and we acknowledge that this intervention may have been upsetting. However, ****** is an accepted rescue medication for acute seizure activity and was used to ensure *******s immediate safety.
  The following day, ******* was assessed by nursing staff, and our attending physician was informed. Documentation of the incident, including medication administration and clinical notes, is present in internal reports dated May 11 -13, 2025.
  Financial Concerns
  CCFAs refund policy, which was reviewed and signed at intake, states that no refunds are issued after four days of admission. This policy exists to ensure program planning and fairness across all client agreements. At the time of discharge on May 13, ******* had been admitted for five days and is outside of the refund policy. It was communicated that ******* can return to complete his program days.
  
  
  Should the BBB require any additional information or documentation, we are prepared to cooperate fully.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:22/03/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I signed a contract with the Canadian Centre for Addictions (March 8, 2024) and paid them in full on the day that my son, ******* ****, was admitted into their program. He was admitted March 9th 2024 and was supposed to be there for 30 days for alcohol addiction. We were assured that the centre carried and could administer withdrawl medication. On the evening of March 9th, ******* started experiencing withdrawl symptoms and they could not give him any medication because there was no doctor available. Someone from the centre took ******* to Northumberland Hills hospital where he had a seizure. He was admitted and stayed until Tuesday morning March 12th, when he went back to the centre. He left the centre on Thursday and we checked him out on Friday morning 15th. I am requesting a 50% refund less the days spent there. They are refusing any refund! He will not be returning to the CCA ever!
  In the contract I signed it says "If the Resident shall voluntarily terminate the Services and departs NAWC 2000 INC’s facilities at any time prior to the start of the 4th Day of Services, the Clientshall receive fifty percent (50%) of the Fees (plus HST) less a charge of the pro-ratedper Day of Services, payable within 7 days after the 30th Day after the Resident has
  voluntarily terminated the Services and departed the NAWC 2000 INC facilities,
  provided that during the aforesaid 30 Day period the Resident does not return for
  any further Services."
  I told them that my son was not in the centre for 4 days (1/2 day Sat, 1/2 day Tues, Wed, Thur) only 3, but they are refusing any refund! They deceived us by telling us beforehand that they could administer withdrawl medication (and they couldn't) and this led to the hospital visit and the dispute over how many days ******* was in the CCA. I wrote and told them this, but they are sticking to their 4 day story.
  I would be happy with some refund...30-40% but they will not consider any refund.
  Any help would be greatly appreciated

  

  Business Response

  Date: 18/04/2024

  Resident was admitted on March 9th for Alcohol Addiction. CCFA Medical staff was concerned at the presenting symptoms of his withdrawal and he was taken by staff to NHH Hospital. This was the correct course of action as the resident had an alcohol induced seizure while at the hospital.  Upon his release from the hospital the resident returned to CCFA  and was seen by Doctor.   On March 15th the resident presented with symptoms of high blood sugar and he refused to have his blood glucose levels checked by CCFA Medical Staff. Resident   refused any medical help (documented) . As the resident was diabetic and refusing medical help,  CCFA Medical staff called Emergency Services (paramedics).  Paramedics were able to convince the resident to go to hospital.   Resident agreed to go to hospital and was released once again to CCFA's care.  Resident decided to self discharge from CCFA's program on March 15 against medical advice on the 7th day of service.   CCFA's refund policy (signed and initialed by ******* ****)  expires after the 4th day of service.  The resident and his family have been encouraged  to return to CCFA to complete his addiction program.
  
  
  I have attached  the  signed Client Service Agreement signed by ******* ****.  The refund policy is section 5.

   

  **** ********
  Canadian Centre For Addictions
  

  
  

  
  

   

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 18/04/2024

  
  
  Complaint: 21470784
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because: ******* was not in the Addiction Centre for 4 days. He spent the first 3 days (March 9, 0.5 days, March 10, 1 day, March 11, 1 day, March 12, 0.5day) in the hospital. And he was taken to the hospital because the Addiction Centre could not provide withdrawl medication, which they assured me that they could (when ******* arrived).

  How can I not be entitled to a partial refund, which is all that I am asking for?  ******* was physically in the Addiction Centre  for 3 days (March 9, 0.5 day; March 12, 0.5 day; March 13, 1 day; March 14, 1 day) On March 15 9am ******* came back from the hospital and said he was leaving the program. How can the Addiction Centre justify keeping all of the $21,500 that I paid in good faith, when ******* was barely in the program. What he experienced, he did not like and decided to leave. Not a penny refund? They had him for  3 days and the hospital had him for 3 days.

  Very unfair and greedy in my opinion.
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ******* ****