A new Riverview Manor long-term care in Peterborough has been approved for 32 new spaces, the Ontario government announced Friday.
In a release, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith said the new spaces are in addition to last December’s allocation of 36 new spaces and the upgrades to the current 124-bed facility on Water Street in the city’s north end.
In the spring of 2019, the city approved a proposal by OMNI Health Care (which owns Riverview Manor) to build a new 160-bed residence at nearby Langton Street. That building would be adjacent to the municipally-owned Fairhaven long-term care which currently has 256 beds.
Friday’s announcement will lead to a new 192-bed long-term care home as part of a “campus of care,” said Smith.
“Our seniors deserve quality care in the communities they live in,” Smith said. “This is why today’s announcement of more new beds is so important. We are working to reduce wait times and meet the needs of our aging population now and in the future.”
OMNI says its some of its older homes have licences that expire in 2025. The new Riverview Manor will be a state-of-the-art Class A home and have a 30-year licence.
The expansion is one of 29 projects approved across the province, aiming to create 1,968 new spaces and 1,015 upgraded spaces. Of the 29 projects, 23 involve the construction of brand new buildings and 19 involve campuses of care where multiple services are provided on the same site.
“Protecting our loved ones and ensuring they receive the care they deserve is at the centre of everything we do,” stated Merrilee Fullerton, Minister of Long-Term Care. “With this announcement, our government is taking another step towards creating a 21st-century long-term care sector that provides the highest quality of care for our most vulnerable people, where and when they need it.”
The Peterborough initiative is part of the 2020 Budget, Ontario’s Action Plan: Protect, Support, Recover, a comprehensive action plan to respond to the serious health and economic impacts of COVID-19.