The Ontario government has announced the fast-track construction of another new long-term care home.

The new facility, which will be built at Humber River Hospital's Finch site, will be constructed under the province’s Accelerated Build Pilot Program. The project will include as many as 320 new long-term care beds by the end of next year.

"We are proud to be partnering with Premier Doug Ford and the Honourable Dr. Merrilee Fullerton, Minister of Long-Term Care, to accelerate the construction of this new facility and oversee its construction in collaboration with community-based service providers,” said Barbara Collins, president and CEO, Humber River Hospital. “This is an investment in our most vulnerable seniors, and a major step forward for the Humber River community and the entire province of Ontario."

On July 15, the government announced a modernized funding model to help accelerate the construction of urgently needed long-term care beds. It launched the Accelerated Build Pilot Program on July 21 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, 2020 in Ajax where 320 new beds will be built. The 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.

"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 Premier 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."

Through the use of hospital lands, and a range of accelerating measures such as modular construction and rapid procurement, the government and its partners are targeting completion of the project by the end of 2021, years faster than the traditional timeline for long-term care development. Humber River Hospital will work with Infrastructure Ontario to manage the day-to-day construction and commissioning oversight.

"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 Fullerton. "Our government is working hand in hand with leaders in the long-term care sector to modernize long-term care as quickly as possible."

Working together with long-term care and health system partners, Ontario continues to use innovative ideas and modern solutions to help end hallway health care and increase long-term care capacity in communities across the province. The province is investing $1.75 billion in long-term care homes over the next five years.