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Canadore President George Burton says since its inception in 2018, the second phase of The Village has long been envisioned as a model for progressive multi-generational education and an improved standard of living for seniors in Ontario.
"We are a learning institution and we want to share our learnings here with people across the province so we do improve care for seniors and help make them healthier for the long term," Burton says. He later adds, "We can do better. We must do better to ensure that we have a healthy, vibrant community."
Tuesday, Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli announced Canadore College will be able to put its model to the test as the provincial government is adding 160 new long-term care beds, to be located at the Villages Community Care Group in North Bay. Fedeli says the promised but as yet undetermined amount of funding for the local project is part of the government’s $6.4 billion commitment to build more than 30,000 net new beds by 2028 and upgrade 28,000 long-term care beds across the province.
"Our government has a plan to fix long-term care and a key part of that plan is building modern, safe, and comfortable homes for our seniors here in North Bay,” Fedeli says. "When Canadore’s LTC project is completed, 160 residents will have a new place to call home, near their loved ones."
See related: Unique program allows Canadore College students to connect with seniors during COVID-19
The not-for-profit 160-bed long-term care facility will be located on the grounds of Canadore College's main campus, adjacent to the first phase of The Village and bordering the Education Centre pond. There, Canadore students will receive hands-on training in various health care fields. Burton says the goal is to have it built and running in 2024.
"Canadore College is very proud of The Village, our health and wellness facility that integrates interprofessional education with Indigenous, Eastern and Western healing and wellness practices," says Burton. The new facility promises to create "a multi-generational campus that leads to healthier living
for all ages. We thank the Government of Ontario for its contribution to this very important project.”
Burton shares, once the project is complete, the plan is for residents and members of the community to have access to a range of client-centred health care options and facilities, including a fully functioning pharmacy and a health care provider on site. And, Burton says recent program expansions at Canadore in various health care fields were all made with this end goal in mind.
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Fedeli says, "The government has a plan to fix long-term care and to ensure Ontario’s seniors get the quality of care and quality of life they need and deserve both now and in the future. The plan is built on three pillars: staffing and care; accountability, enforcement, and transparency; and building
modern, safe, comfortable homes for seniors.
He notes there are now 292 new and 460 upgraded long-term care beds in development, under construction or completed in Nipissing, including the following projects:
- Tuesday's announcement of 160 new beds at the Villages Community Care Group
- 96 new beds at FAIM (Trout Creek)
- 24 new and 240 upgraded beds at Cassellholme
- 12 new and 148 upgraded beds at the renamed Northern Heights (Waters Edge residents will move to the new site)
- 72 upgraded beds at the new Algonquin Nursing Home (Mattawa)
This is the second significant funding announcement in the past month involving Canadore College, as last month, Ontario announced $6.84 million for 53 new local addictions treatment beds in North Bay.
