News

Ontario Makes Historic Investment in Long-Term Care

Includes 96-bed home in Trout Creek

TROUT CREEK – Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli is fulfilling another promise to the people of Nipissing. A new 96-bed long-term care home has been approved for the community of Trout Creek. It is part of the Ontario government’s historic investment in 80 new long-term care projects. These spaces are part of the government’s delivery of 30,000 much-needed long-term care spaces over ten years.

“Families in Nipissing have been eagerly awaiting this announcement, replacing the 66-bed facility that was closed a number of years ago,” said Fedeli. “Today’s announcement will help ensure we have safe, modern spaces ready for those who will need long-term care.”

The project proponent is FAIM Trout Creek, and they are being allocated 96 new spaces to build a brand-new long-term care home in Trout Creek.

“I would like to sincerely thank Premier Ford, Minister Fullerton for their continued commitment to providing new Long-Term Care beds for the people of Ontario. I especially would like to thank our MPP and friend Minister Victor Fedeli who has worked tirelessly on this file. Minister Fedeli made these Long-Term Care Beds a priority and with today’s announcement he has delivered for my community and the entire region,” said Peter McIsaac, Mayor of Powassan. “Today’s announcement will allow the seniors in our community to get the much-needed care they deserve without leaving our community and family.”

“It’s no secret our hospital inpatient capacity has been stretched to the limit, even before the pandemic,” said Paul Heinrich, President and CEO of the North Bay Regional Health Centre. “The ward room reductions made to keep long-term care residents safe during COVID-19 resulted in our district losing double the provincial average for long-term care bed capacity. Today’s announcement will dramatically improve acute care patient flow and ensure patients waiting in hospital for admission to LTC can access the right care in the right place.

“We at Faim International are excited to be a part of this program and look forward to bringing this exciting project, Trout Creek Senior Living to completion,” said Italo Ferrari, General Manager of Real Estate Developments.

In addition to modernizing the long-term care sector, these projects will help reduce waitlists and end hallway medicine. Province-wide, these investments also support key government priorities, including eliminating three and four bed ward rooms, creating campuses of care and providing new spaces for Indigenous, Francophone and other cultural community residents.

“Our loved ones in long-term care deserve a comfortable, modern place to live, near family and friends, with the support they need when they need it,” said Dr. Merrilee Fullerton, Minister of Long-Term Care. “These new and upgraded spaces, built to modern design standards, will help prevent and contain the transmission of infectious diseases and ensure residents have access to the care they need in a safe and secure environment.”

Criteria for selecting the projects being announced today included:

• Upgrading older homes in response to lessons learned around improved Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) 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.

QUICK FACTS

• These projects are part Ontario’s Long-Term Care Modernization Plan.
• As of December 2020, more than 40,000 people across Ontario were on the waitlist to access a long-term care bed.
• Across the province, the Ontario government is moving forward with 80 new long-term care projects, which will lead to an additional 7,510 new and 4,197 upgraded long-term care spaces.
• Ontario is investing $933 million in these projects provincewide, on top of the $1.75 billion already earmarked for the delivery of 30,000 new spaces over ten years.
• With this new allocation, Ontario now has 20,161 new and 15,918 redevelopment spaces in the development pipeline.
• Ontario has committed to an average of four hours of direct care per day for our loved ones living in long term care homes. Ontario is the first province in Canada to take this important step.