Toronto is getting a new long-term care home by end of next year

Aug 11 2020, 5:33 pm

Toronto is getting a new long-term care home by the end of next year.

On Tuesday, Premier Doug Ford announced that the home will be built at Humber River Hospital’s Finch site in just a matter of months — the project is part of the province’s Accelerated Build Pilot Program.

And, by working with Humber River Hospital and Infrastructure Ontario, the province intends to build up to 320 new long-term care beds at this site by the end of 2021.

“After years of underinvestment in long-term care, we are getting shovels in the ground faster and delivering on our commitment to build 30,000 long-term care beds over the next decade,” said Ford.

“We’re working with innovative partners like Humber River Hospital and Infrastructure Ontario to help get our seniors off waitlists and into modern rooms, so they receive the quality care they deserve sooner.”

Mayor John Tory, who was also in attendance at the briefing, said that expediting the long-term care beds is “nothing but good news.”

The pilot program is part of the government’s plan to create new long-term care beds across the province that include features such as air conditioning and private or semi-private rooms, “beginning immediately.”

The pilot program was launched on July 21, 2020 in Mississauga where two new homes with up to 640 new beds will be built, and followed up with another project announced on July 28 in Ajax where 320 new beds will be built.

“Now, with our experience of COVID-19, it is more important than ever that we realize our government’s vision to build a 21st century integrated long-term care system that provides our most vulnerable with safe, high-quality, resident-centred care and a dignified place to call home,” said Minister of Long-Term Care Merrillee Fullerton.

According to the province, over the next five years, the government is investing $1.75 billion in long-term care homes.

On July 15, Ford announced a modernized funding model to help accelerate the construction of long-term care beds.

Clarrie FeinsteinClarrie Feinstein

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