Two homes will bring 288 much-needed long-term care beds to the province
NAPANEE — Construction is underway at Lennox and Addington County General Hospital in Napanee and at Westgate Lodge in Belleville. 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 Lennox and Addington County General Hospital and Westgate Lodge on their ground-breakings for two long-term care homes. 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 Paul Calandra, Minister of Long-Term Care. “Today’s construction starts represent significant milestones. When these two projects are completed, 288 residents will have a new place to call home, near their family and friends.”
The new state-of-the-art 128-bed home at Lennox and Addington County General Hospital in Napanee is expected to welcome residents in spring 2025 and will be 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 new home will be adjacent to the existing local seniors centre, healthcare services and a satellite dialysis service. It will also offer six negative pressure beds, which support infection control and operate as isolation rooms.
The redevelopment of Westgate Lodge will be completed in two phases. The first phase is expected to start welcoming its first new residents in fall 2025. The finished home will bring a total of 160 new and upgraded, modern long-term care beds to Belleville.
Once completed, both homes will feature design improvements including larger resident common areas and air conditioning throughout the home. Both designs are 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 development of the new beds at Lennox and Addington County General Hospital is made possible by an agreement between the Ministry of Long-Term Care and the Ontario Financing Authority (OFA) which helps hospital long-term care development projects unlock lending and reduces borrowing costs so Ontario’s seniors have access to a range of choices for their long-term care needs.
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.