HEARST — Construction of a new 12-bed addition is underway at Foyer des Pionniers, a long-term care home in the district of Cochrane. This is part of the Ontario government’s $6.4 billion commitment to build more than 30,000 new beds by 2028 and 28,000 upgraded long-term care beds across the province.
“Congratulations to Foyer des Pionniers on their ground-breaking for an upgraded, modernized addition to their home. Our government is fixing long-term care and a key part of that plan is building modern, safe and comfortable homes for our seniors,” said Stan Cho, Minister of Long-Term Care. “Today marks a significant milestone for the district of Cochrane and brings more beds where they are urgently needed in northern Ontario.”
“This new 12-bed addition to Foyer des Pionniers brings much-needed support to our vibrant Francophone community in northern Ontario,” said Natalia Kusendova, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Francophone Affairs. “The culturally appropriate services Foyer des Pionniers offers to the Francophone community is another step in our government’s commitment to a diverse and equitable province for all.”
Once completed, the expansion will provide 12 new beds, for a total of 79 safe, modern long-term care beds. Foyer des Pionniers features design improvements, including larger resident common areas and air conditioning throughout the home. The design is centred around ‘resident home areas’ to create more intimate and familiar living spaces for up to 32 residents, with dining and activity areas, lounges and bedrooms. The new addition is expected to be completed and welcoming its first residents in summer 2024.
Foyer des Pionniers is adjacent to the Hôpital Notre-Dame Hospital in Hearst and is part of a campus of care, which helps integrate the long-term care home into the broader health care system and ensures residents can conveniently connect to the care they need. The home helps Ontario address the growing demand for long-term care, which has increased wait times for beds and contributed to hallway health care.
Foyer des Pionniers offers culturally appropriate services to the Francophone community. The home is licensed to and operated by Foyer Hearst – Mattice – Soins De Santé.
This project was financed by a capital development loan from Infrastructure Ontario.
Foyer des Pionniers is one of many long-term care homes now under construction in Ontario. Since January 2023, 35 projects representing 5,351 new and upgraded beds are being built to modern design standards across the province.
The government is fixing long-term care to ensure Ontario’s seniors get the quality of care and quality of life they need and deserve, both now and in the future. The plan is built on four pillars: staffing and care; quality and enforcement; building modern, safe and comfortable homes; and connecting seniors with faster, more convenient access to the services they need.
Quick Facts
- The Ontario government provided $19,131 to Foyer des Pionniers in 2022-23 for a bariatric bed and a controller kit to protect residents at risk of wandering, to provide better care and help keep residents out of the hospital. This was part of a $20 million investment across the province through the Local Priorities Fund, operated by Ontario Health. The fund is part of a broader investment of over $120 million in 2022-23, with additional funding moving forward, to provide access to a range of specialized services and supports, so long-term care residents with complex needs can access connected and convenient care in the comfort of their long-term care home instead of a hospital.
- As part of its plan to fix long-term care and address sector waitlists, the government is building more than 30,000 net new long-term care beds in Ontario by 2028 and upgrading more than 28,000 older beds to modern design standards.
- Building new and upgraded long-term care beds will strengthen our long-term care system by increasing access to long-term care, reducing waitlists, and easing hospital capacity pressures. It will also improve working conditions for staff in long-term care homes and provide safe, more comfortable homes for residents.
- Building more modern, safe and comfortable homes for our seniors is part of the Government of Ontario’s Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021.
- The province is taking innovative steps to get long-term care homes built, including modernizing its funding model, selling unused lands with the requirement that long-term care homes be built on portions of the properties, and leveraging hospital-owned land to build urgently needed homes in large urban areas.
- The Ontario government is providing a supplemental increase to the construction funding subsidy to stimulate the start of construction by August 31, 2023 for more long-term care homes across the province, including the Foyer des Pionniers project. This means projects must have met all criteria to attain government approval to start construction by August 31, 2023. The supplemental increase is part of the funding for long-term care home development.
- As of April 2023, more than 40,000 people were on the waitlist to access a long-term care bed in Ontario. The median wait time is 123 days for applicants to be placed in long-term care.
Quotes
“After many years of anticipation, Foyer des Pionniers received authorization to proceed with its long-awaited expansion project, comprising of a new 12-bed wing. The Town of Hearst is excited to finally be able to expand its long-term care home; our elderly and frail citizens will no longer have to wait for such a long period before being admitted to our establishment where residents can receive care in both French and English.”
– Roger Sigouin
President, Foyer des Pionniers and Mayor, Town of Hearst
“Today’s announcement marks an exciting milestone for Foyer des Pionniers. We are thrilled to be alleviating some pressure on our waiting list. This project has been long awaited and will benefit our community. We are looking forward to the day we can welcome 12 new residents home.”
– Nathalie Morin
Administrator, Foyer des Pionniers
SOURCE Province of Ontario
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