Pickering’s newest long-term care home breaks ground in Seaton
Published March 15, 2024 at 3:47 pm
Pickering and Durham Region’s next (and long awaited) long-term care home broke ground Friday, with the 200-bed facility being fast-tracked with an extra funding boost from Queen’s Park.
“Our government is fixing long-term care and ensuring we build homes for seniors in the communities they helped build,” said Stan Cho, Minister of Long-Term Care. “Today’s ground-breaking for a new long-term care home marks a significant milestone for Pickering and Durham Region. When construction is complete, 200 residents will have a new, modern and comfortable place to call home.”
The new home, estimated to cost slightly north of $100 million, will provide 200 new beds and is expected to welcome its first residents in the summer of 2026. The three-storey building will feature amenities such as an outdoor café/terrace and gardens for residents and visitors, larger resident common areas and air conditioning throughout the home. The design is centred around resident home areas, each of which creates a more intimate and familiar living space for up to 32 residents, with dining and activity areas, lounges and bedrooms.
The home has also proposed to include two 20-bed behavioural specialized units that support more vulnerable residents with complex care needs like dementia.
The development project on Alexander Knox Road in north Pickering is a not-for-profit, municipal home that will be operated by Durham Region.
“Durham Region strives to be a caring and age-friendly community, a safe place where everyone is treated with respect,” said Durham Chair John Henry, who added that the provincial investment will ensure “all residents may age with dignity; help alleviate long-term care home shortages and capacity issues; and provide the quality of care and life that Durham Region’s aging population deserves.”
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The facility is one of 67 long-term care home projects fast-tracked with support from the Ontario government’s increased construction funding subsidy with an aim of creating 58,000 new and upgraded long-term care beds across the province.
“Today marks a significant milestone as we break ground on our new long-term care home in Pickering, made possible by this government’s increased construction funding subsidy,” noted Ontario Finance Minister and Pickering-Uxbridge MPP Peter Bethlenfalvy. “This investment addresses the urgent need for long-term care beds and demonstrates our commitment to serving our seniors. With its expanding population and vibrant community spirit, Pickering stands as an ideal location for our new long-term care home.”
As of December 2023, more than 44,000 people were on the waitlist to access a long-term care bed in Ontario. The median wait time is 118 days for applicants to be placed in long-term care.
“As Pickering continues to grow, it is imperative that we prioritize the well-being of our seniors, ensuring they can age comfortably while remaining in the community they cherish and call home,” said Pickering Mayor Kevin Ashe. “This investment will ensure seniors receive essential health services and address the lack of access faced by seniors across Ontario.”
Ashe said the new facility in the Seaton community will provide innovative care and also serve as a “pillar of compassion and support” for the city’s aging population. “Together, we’re building a future where every senior in Pickering and Durham Region can live their golden years with the care and respect they deserve, helping shape the future of health care for our community and beyond.”
The region currently operates four other long-term-care facilities, including Fairview Lodge in Whitby, Hillsdale Estates and Hillsdale Terraces in Oshawa and Lakeview Manor in Beaverton.
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