Northeastern Ontario communities selected for long term care expansion

Communities in northeastern Ontario will see a financial boost for long term care projects, after the government announced today that it's investing $933 million in creating new and upgraded long-term care spaces across the province.

It says the initiative, which includes 80 projects, will add 7,510 new spaces and upgrade 4,197 spaces.

The projects in the northeast approved for funding are:

• Batchewana First Nation Long Term Care Home has been allocated 96 new spaces, to create a brand-new home to serve Indigenous residents in Sault Ste. Marie.
• Belvedere Heights Home for the Aged has been allocated 24 new spaces. This project will involve an addition resulting in a 125-bed home in Parry Sound.
• Foyer des Pionniers has been allocated 12 new spaces. The project will result in a 79-bed home in Hearst. The home will offer services to francophone residents.
• Pioneer Manor has been allocated 38 new and 122 upgraded spaces to create a 444-bed home through the construction of a new building in Sudbury as part of a campus of care.
• South Centennial Manor has been allocated 27 new spaces to create a 96-bed home through the construction of a new building in Iroquois Falls. This project is implemented by Anson General Hospital.
• Wikwemikong Long-Term Care Home has been allocated 37 new and 59 upgraded spaces. The project will result in a 96-bed home through the construction of a new building in Wikwemikong. The home will offer services to Indigenous residents.

In a news release, the Ontario government stated "the allocations will result in a development pipeline of 20,161 new spaces representing more than two thirds of the government's commitment to build 30,000 new beds by 2028 as well as 15,918 upgraded spaces."

Criteria for selecting the projects being announced today included:

• Upgrading older homes in response to lessons learned around improved infectionprevention and control measures, particularly the elimination of three and four-bed rooms;
• Adding spaces to areas where there is high need;
• Addressing the growing needs of diverse groups, including Francophone and Indigenous communities; and/or,
• Promoting campuses of care to better address the specialized care needs of residents.

See the full list of projects.