Company 'plans to move ahead' with new North Bay 160-bed long-term care facility

The timeline has been pushed back somewhat since the original announcement but plans to build a 160-bed long-term care residence in North Bay on what was the McLaren site of the former St. Joseph's General Hospital are still in the works.

In correspondence with BayToday, Sienna Senior Living states, "We are working with all levels of government to ensure this residence contributes to the health and growth of this vibrant city. As the plan progresses, we look forward to sharing important construction milestones with the community in the near future."

In 2018, Sienna shared those plans with the existing residents, promising a new facility for seniors built on the former hospital grounds, at 675 Bloem St. The development is to include one- and two-bedroom retirement suites for both independent residents and those who require assisted-living situations and will put the Waters Edge Care Community on William Street out of commission.

Sienna confirms it "plans to move ahead with the expansion and redevelopment of Waters Edge Care Community in North Bay, as previously announced."

Waters Edge was previously known as Leisureworld. The current configuration of the long-term care home has 148 total beds, including six convalescent care beds. The original plan was to begin construction in 2019 and move residents to the new facility overlooking Lake Nipissing this year. 

As part of Sienna's "commitment to modernize and upgrade older residences, we propose to build a new long-term care residence. The new residence will include 160 beds to meet the needs of seniors in the community,"  reads the statement.

In 2018, as part of the future redevelopment, 12 additional long-term beds for Waters Edge were announced by the then-Wynne government's Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, bringing the total to 160.