Lakeridge Health celebrates project topping off
Lakeridge Health, Infrastructure Ontario, PCL Construction and various officials from the provincial government celebrated the topping off of a new long-term care home being built at Lakeridge Health’s Ajax Pickering Hospital on August 27.
“Today’s topping off moves this home one step closer to completion and Ontario one step closer to delivering 30,000 much-needed long-term care beds over 10 years,” said Long-term Care Minister Rod Phillips. “Located on the same grounds as the Ajax Pickering Hospital, this state-of-the-art long-term care home is expected to be ready to meet its residents in the spring, with 320 new beds for seniors in Durham to call home, near their family and friends.”
The home at Lakeridge Health will provide state-of-the-art care and comfort in a modern, safe environment. The facility will include up to 320 new long-term care spaces to help address capacity issues within Ontario’s health and long-term care system. The home will meet the latest standards for long-term care design, and will include private or semi-private bedrooms, lounge areas, dining rooms, terraces and 100 percent fresh-air supply capability.
It will also be part of a campus of care to ensure residents have close access to the specialized and complex care they need, and better integrate the long-term care home into the broader health care system.
PCL Constructors Canada was awarded the contract to build the facility in December 2020. The project is being delivered as part of the Accelerated Build Pilot Program, and should be completed in 2022.
“Achieving a topping off milestone in just eight months is an exceptional achievement that would not be possible without the passionate commitment of everyone involved,” said Todd Craigen, President of Eastern Canada, PCL Constructors Canada Inc. “Thank you to all of our partners and the nearly 310 women and men whose daily commitment to safety, over two shifts per day, has enabled us to reach this milestone during a global pandemic in order to advance safe and healthy homes for seniors in the Durham Region.”
The Accelerated Build Pilot Program leverages hospital-owned land and accelerated construction techniques to build urgently needed homes more quickly, in large urban areas where land cost and availability are significant challenges for prospective developers.
The project is another example of the government’s investment in long-term care, which includes a $2.68 billion investment for the delivery of 30,000 safe, modern, comfortable beds over the next decade.
“This is an exciting milestone for Lakeridge Health and Durham Region. In addition to promoting the health and safety of seniors with a range of needs and abilities, the new long-term care home will support staff and physicians delivering the highest level of quality care and advance Lakeridge Health’s vision of One System. Best Health,” said Cynthia Davis, President and CEO, Lakeridge Health. “We are truly grateful for our exceptional partnership with the Ministry of Long-Term Care, Infrastructure Ontario and PCL, as well as the many experts and stakeholders who have shared their knowledge and lived experience to guide us.”
Ontario now has 20,161 new and 15,918 redevelopment beds in the development pipeline.
Featured image: Artist’s rendering of the Lakeridge Long-term Care Home. (Infrastructure Ontario)