Steinbach MLA and Health, Seniors and Active Living Minister Kelvin Goertzen announced that the province is moving forward on an additional 258 new personal care home beds in Winnipeg, Steinbach and Carman.

“Additional personal care home capacity will be needed over the next 25 years to care for people with significant needs and who can no longer safely remain at home or in supportive housing,” said Goertzen. “We remain committed to ensuring the right care is available at the right place and the right time, and moving forward on personal care homes is part of addressing this need.”

Design work will begin to support the development of three proposals including:

  • developing the Bridgwater Personal Care Home in Winnipeg to add up to 108 new beds;
  • expanding the existing Rest Haven Personal Care Home in Steinbach by adding up to 140 beds; and
  • expanding the existing Boyne Lodge in Carman by adding up to 10 new beds, 70 replacement beds and up to 30 new transitional care beds.

The minister noted the projects are in areas where analysis has shown that additional personal care home capacity is among the most needed. Manitoba Health, Seniors and Active Living will continue working with regional health authorities, communities and stakeholders to look at creative funding models to both help build capacity and make sustainable capital investments. This will ensure the province can meet the long-term needs of Manitoba’s growing and aging population.

“Our government has committed to contributing approximately $133,000 per bed toward the construction of 1,200 personal care home beds throughout Manitoba. Manitobans were paying two or three times that amount under the previous government, which simply wasn’t sustainable,” said Goertzen. “Additional proposals will be assessed based on needs within the region and their ability to fit within the new mandate.”

In addition, Goertzen noted that work on the expansion of the 157-bed Holy Family Personal Care Home in north Winnipeg is expected to be complete by late 2018.

For more information on personal care homes in Manitoba, visit gov.mb.ca.