Ground was broken Tuesday for the redevelopment of a long-term care home in the north end of Peterborough, Ont.
Paul Calandra, Ontario’s minister of long-term care, was in the city for the groundbreaking at Extendicare Peterborough in the area of Towerhill Road and Hillside Street. Built on 24 acres of land, the project will feature 256 beds — 84 new beds and 172 upgraded beds by the fall of 2025.
The building would replace the existing Extendicare Peterborough on Alexandria Court.
The City of Peterborough approved the project in late 2020 and it received the go-ahead in March 2022 following an initial dispute with a nearby landowner.
The project was one of two Calandra announced Tuesday which included the redevelopment of Marianhill in Pembroke for a 160-bed facility.
“Congratulations to Marianhill and Extendicare Peterborough on their ground-breakings for two redeveloped long-term care homes,” said Calandra, MPP for Markham-Stouffville. “Our government is fixing long-term care and a key part of that plan is building modern, safe and comfortable homes for our seniors. Today’s construction starts represent significant milestones. When these two projects are completed, 416 residents will have a new place to call home, near their family and friends.”
Concept site plan for new Extendicare Peterborough long-term care facility.
The province says both homes will feature design improvements such as a larger resident common area and air conditioning in all resident rooms. Both designs are centred around “resident home areas” to create more familiar living spaces for up to 32 residents with dining and activity areas, lounges and bedrooms.
Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith says the upgrades are long overdue.
“There has been talk about upgrading the existing Extendicare facility for decades,” he said. “Our government was the first government to get it done. We are building another state-of-the-art facility in our community.”
Extendicare president and CEO Dr. Michael Guerriere says his company has a 50-year history of operating long-term care homes and the Peterborough project will extend that timeline.
“With this project, we are building for the next 50,” he said. “This new home will serve 256 residents in a modern care environment that will enhance care delivery and resident quality of life. Breaking ground today is the next step in our plans to redevelop all of our older homes across the province. We are deeply grateful to the Government of Ontario for its historic support of the long-term care sector and to the City of Peterborough for its ongoing partnership.”
The province says as of February 2023, more than 39,000 Ontario residents were on a waitlist to access a long-term care bed. The average wait time is 130 days for applicants to be placed in long-term care.
The two projects are part of the Ontario government’s goal to add more than 30,000 new beds by 2028 and 28,000 upgraded long-term care beds — a $6.4 billion commitment.
More to come…
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