People in Nelson and surrounding areas will soon have access to high-quality long-term care in their community with the construction of 75 new publicly funded long-term care beds at 902 Eleventh St. in Nelson.
The long-term care is a partnership between the Ministry of Health, Interior Health, Columbia Basin Trust, and Golden Life Management and is expected to be complete in September 2024. It will be part of the Nelson Health Campus, a new modern location that will include the amalgamation of existing local health services into one place.
“Seniors and Indigenous elders deserve safe, comfortable and high-quality care close to home,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health. “This new facility, which is part of the largest one-time increase in long-term care beds in the Interior in more than 16 years, will ensure that older adults in Nelson and surrounding areas have access to care in their community when they need it.”
After a competitive bidding process, the contract to finance, build and own the new development was awarded to Mount St. Francis (CBT) Enterprises Ltd., a partnership between Columbia Basin Trust and Golden Life Management. Interior Health will lease and operate the facility.
“We are thrilled to begin our second development in Nelson and are proud to extend our long-lasting partnerships with Interior Health and Columbia Basin Trust,” said Endre Lillejord, Golden Life Management. “This development showcases our commitment to providing state-of-the-art care environments for seniors that support the resident, their family, and the community.”
“We are proud to partner with Golden Life Management to develop new, safe and supportive residences for Nelson and area seniors, now and into the future,” said Johnny Strilaeff, President and CEO, Columbia Basin Trust. “This is a significant investment, and we are thrilled to work with Interior Health to ensure seniors in the region receive the care they need without having to leave the community.”
The long-term care building and the Nelson Health Campus will be located on the old Mount St. Francis hospital site, which was built in the 1940s and operated by the sisters of St. Ann. The hospital closed in 2005 and the deconstruction will be complete in July 2022. Interior Health consulted with the sisters of St. Ann, the local heritage community and the City of Nelson before deconstruction. Anything of historical importance was preserved.
“I am thrilled by the announcement of new long-term care homes and the Nelson Health Campus building in our community,” said Brittny Anderson, MLA for Nelson-Creston. “These projects will ensure expanded access to high-quality care for seniors in our community and is one more example of our government’s commitment to improving care for seniors in B.C.”
The new long-term care building will feature a modern design and provide a warm and caring environment. The building features private bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, and dining and activity spaces for each small neighbourhood. Other amenities include secure outdoor courtyards and patios.
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