Ontario Uses New Tool to Create Long-Term Care Beds and Affordable Housing in Blue Mountains

TORONTO ― The Ontario government is responding to a request from the Town of The Blue Mountains to streamline approvals to build 160 long-term care beds and housing for seniors in Grey County.

Once complete, the Community Campus of Care will be located on approximately 20 acres of town-owned surplus lands at 125 Peel Street South. The campus will also provide a range of retirement home living options, such as affordable housing and attainable housing units (e.g., townhouses and apartments), daycare facilities, and certain commercial uses.

Ontario is supporting this development through a new tool that helps municipalities fast-track their own planning process, the Community Infrastructure and Housing Accelerator. It helps municipalities speed up approvals for housing and community infrastructure, like hospitals and community centres, while increasing transparency and accountability. This is the first Community Infrastructure and Housing Accelerator order to be issued by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

“I’m pleased to see our municipal partners using the Community Infrastructure and Housing Accelerator being used to better meet the needs of its seniors and build much-needed housing and long-term care beds faster,” said Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “This is exactly the kind of partnership that our government needs to support. We continue to encourage municipalities to consider using this new tool to help address needs in their communities and get priority projects off the ground faster.”

“I want to thank the Town of Blue Mountains for taking this action to help build these much-needed 160 long-term care beds,” said Paul Calandra, Minister of Long-Term Care. “The Community Infrastructure and Housing Accelerator is an important tool helping our municipal partners get shovels in the ground sooner, helping us achieve our goal of building more long-term care beds across the province.”

“The Town of the Blue Mountains has worked collaboratively with the Province and Minister Clark to accelerate the planning approvals for the construction of the much-needed Campus of Care Project,” said Brian Saunderson, MPP for Simcoe-Grey. “This project will include a 160 bed long-term care facility, retirement living accommodations and attainable housing units. This is an exciting announcement and I want to congratulate Mayor Matrosovs and the Town of the Blue Mountains current and former councils and staff for their vision and diligence in making this announcement happen.”

“I would like to extend my appreciation to Minister Clark and ministry staff for evaluating and granting the Town’s CIHA application, and to our MPP, Mr. Brian Saunderson, for his ongoing support,” said Andrea Matrosovs, Mayor of the Town of the Blue Mountains. “The approval will help expedite the Campus of Care project to add 160 long-term care beds to our community. This is a central component to the creation of a micro-community on a multi-generational campus. Through this initiative, the Town has an opportunity to increase much-needed long-term care access and support services for our local residents. It is vital our residents have options to stay in our community to remain close to their social support network.”