Ontario Construction News staff writer
Construction is underway on Southbridge Ottawa, a new 192-bed long-term care home in Nepean. This home is one of 67 long-term care home projects fast-tracked this fall with support from the Ontario government’s increased provincial construction funding subsidy for construction starts before Aug. 31, 2023.
“Congratulations to the team at Southbridge Ottawa on their ground-breaking for their new home. Our government is fixing long-term care and ensuring we build homes for seniors in the communities they helped build,” said Stan Cho, minister of long-term care. “Today marks a significant milestone for Ottawa. When construction is complete, 192 additional residents will have a new, modern and comfortable place to call home.”
Southbridge Ottawa is designed to accommodate residents with a range of cognitive and cultural needs and will feature design improvements, including larger resident common areas and air conditioning throughout the home.
The design is focused on ‘resident home areas’, each of which creates a more intimate and familiar living space for up to 32 residents, with dining and activity areas, lounges and bedrooms. It is expected to welcome its first residents in summer 2025.
“For 18 years I have been working to build Nepean up, especially as it comes to our seniors and healthcare,” said MPP Lisa MacLeod Southbridge. “Ottawa will compliment existing long term care homes and retirement residences in Nepean, while also helping reduce pressure at the Queensway Carleton Hospital.”
A total of 67 projects received ministry approval to construct between April 1, 2022 and August 31, 2023. This means 11,199 new and upgraded beds are now being built to modern design standards across the province.
As of September 2023, more than 43,000 people were on the waitlist to access a long-term care bed in Ontario. The median wait time is 118 days for applicants to be placed in long-term care.
“The health and safety of our residents is our number one priority,” said Ryan Bell, CEO, Southbridge Health Care. “We are excited to be breaking ground on this project, our sixth new long-term care home, where residents will experience a modern, safe and community-minded approach to living.”