Three long-term care facilities in Guelph and Waterloo Region will see more beds for senior care.
Work is underway at Elliott Long Term Care Residence in Guelph, Fairview Mennonite Homes in Cambridge, and peopleCare A.R. Goudie in Kitchener that will add a total of 349 new beds to these facilities.
Minister of Long-Term Care Stan Cho visited the three sites on Friday to announce his government’s commitment to improving access to long-term care.
“It marks a significant milestone,” said Cho when met with residents and staff at Elliott, his last of his three stops on the day.
“You took care of us, our seniors. Our moral obligation is to take care of you.”
The breakdown of the new beds will see an additional 29 at Elliott, 128 at peopleCare A.R. Goudie, and Fairview will have another 192. Each facility is receiving funding through a combination of a one-time grant and a construction funding subsidy over a 25-year period. Elliott is eligible to receive up to $10.2 million, Fairview $44.6 million, and $52.9 million for peopleCare A.R. Goudie.
“I was really impressed with the minister’s comments about our moral duty to seniors,” said Guelph Cllr. Dominique O’Rourke, who spoke on behalf of Mayor Cam Guthrie and Committee Chair Cathy Downer.
“To have him here, to underscore the commitment to long-term care in the province, is critically important.”
The three facilities are among the 67 long-term care home projects across Ontario that are being fast-tracked. In a news release, the province said it is committed to building more than 58,000 new and upgraded long-term care beds in Ontario.
Attendees at the announcement in Guelph included city councillors Ken Ye Chew, Carly Klassen, and Linda Busuttil, and Guelph MPP and Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner who Cho acknowledged his support of the project.
“I’m glad that Mike is here because sometimes when we say things in the legislature in the heat of the moment, you forget why it is that you are doing. Despite what be believe politically, this is the right thing to do.”
O’Rourke says the number of new beds comes as more Guelph residents are reaching retirement age.
“As a growing city, this is some of the basic infrastructure that we need to keep pace with the growth and the need in the community.”
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