It’s something that hasn’t happened since 2004, 18 years ago.
A new long term care home will be built in the Quinte region.
Bay of Quinte riding MPP and Minister of Energy Todd Smith announced Saturday that the provincial government has allocated 160 long-term care (LTC) beds at 645 Sidney Street in Belleville, on vacant land between Bell Boulevard and Tracey Street.
Bay of Quinte riding MPP Todd Smith at podium while mayor of Belleville Mitch Panciuk looks on. (Photo: Quinte News)
The project, which has been under discussion for the past four years, is part of the government’s $6.4 billion commitment to build more than 30,000 net new LTC beds by 2028, along with 28,000 upgraded beds.
“We really need this home and this land is the perfect fit,” said Smith. “We have to build more beds. The average wait time for a bed in this area is over 200 days and some of those waiting are now in hospital beds. Our government is working hard on this. Right now in the region stretching from Picton to Bancroft, Napanee to Brighton, well over 1,000 beds are in the pipeline.”
The new LTC will be part of a larger mixed housing seniors retirement development on the rest of the property.
The company heading up the build is known as Neighbourhood Better Living (NBL) and is a partnership between SigNature Communities Inc., Clearway Construction Inc., and UniversalCareCanada Inc.
Sebastian Mizzi, Vice President of Neighbourhood Better Living. (Photo: Quinte News)
Although not residents, the heads of the three companies involved in Neighbourhood Better Living all have connections to Belleville.
The wife of one of the executives was born and raised in the city while another said his father-in-law was a Belleville Shriner.
Vice President of NBL Sebastian Mizzi said that when the partners started talking about building retirement and long-term care homes, the City of Belleville was the first community that came to mind because of the personal connections.
President of Clearway Construction Inc. Anthony DiBattista said the Belleville LTC home wouldn’t be a garden variety build. “This is going to be the best. It’s personal.”
President of Clearway Construction Inc. Anthony DiBattista. (Photo: Quinte News)
Joseph Gulizia, president of UniversalCareCanada said the home would be state of the art providing top-notch care. He took care to praise city council and MPP Smith for making decisions such as road widening and basic infrastructure improvements to the area of Bell Boulevard and Sidney streets. “That’s why we can be here making this announcement today. There’s a difference between a politician and a statesman. A politician focuses on the next election while a statesman is concerned about the next generation.” Singling out Belleville Mayor Mitch Panciuk and MPP Smith Gulizia said, “You are statesmen.”
Joseph Gulizia, President of UniversalCareCanada. (Photo: Quinte News)
Mayor of Belleville Mitch Panciuk called it another exciting day for the city and said the city would make every effort to smooth the path toward construction of the facility so construction could start as soon as possible.
The mayor ended the announcement proclaiming, “I’m going on the record. Todd Smith is the best MPP this community has ever had.”
