New long-term care home in North Bay opens

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At 94 years old, Elaine Lebold says she wonders how many years she has left, but whatever that number is, she’s happy to be living them out at Northern Heights.

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The long-term care home officially opened its doors on Friday.

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Dignitaries, city councillors, staff, and residents gathered in the celebratory festivities marking the occasion that was plagued with delays and cost overruns.

The province invested $110 million into the 160-bed development project located in the former St. Joseph Hospital location off Bloem Street.

The project has faced some delays and was originally budgeted for $50 million.

Nitin Jain, president and CEO of Sienna Living, said this journey hasn’t been an easy one.

“But we knew nothing could stop us.”

The company bought this land in 2017, and the intention was to always start construction quickly.

“We were shovels in the ground in 2021, and then everything went sideways. Construction costs went up. Original cost of this project was $50 million, and the cost came in at $80 million. We had to take a step back — Ontario went out of their way to figure out a way to fund this home,” he stated in a previous interview.

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Jain credited Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli for making this project happen.

He went as far as to say that without Fedeli’s support, this project wouldn’t have happened.

But it was Elaine Lebold who stole the show.

“My husband died three years ago. We’ve been taken good care of and enjoyed every minute,” she told local media following the opening ceremonies.

“I’ve enjoyed every minute being here. I really do enjoy the new facilities; there’s more room. It feels more like home.”

Lebold said the staff tries their best to make us happy with different activities.

“I really can say I enjoy it as a home. The staff are excellent. I’m part of a family.”

Northern Heights replaces the existing Waters Edge Care Community long-term care home with 12 new and 148 upgraded beds in a modern home that welcomed its first residents this September.

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The new building is designed around five “resident home areas,” which create a more intimate and familiar living space for up to 32 residents with their own dining and activity areas, lounges and bedrooms. The home features a kitchen, lounge, beauty salon, tuck shop, and multiple courtyards.

Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli said it’s people like Leblond as the reason why the government invests in what it does.

“This project is for all of the Elaines in our city,” he said, adding that this location was once where St. Joseph Hospital used to be. The hospital was also where most North Bay residents were born, including Fedeli and North Bay Mayor Peter Chirico.

“There’s absolutely no better purpose for this former hospital than to have Northern Heights.”

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Chirico said he couldn’t be prouder of the new development that will provide a home for many seniors in North Bay.

John Jordan, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Long-Term Care, travelled to North Bay to mark the occasion.

“We’re trying to build long-term care homes to feel like homes for the residents. One of the goals is to make these really great places for seniors to live. They deserve that,” he told the crowd.

“Our goal for 58,000 new and reconditioned long-term care (beds) continues, and I’m proud to say we’re past the 24,000 mark. More than the beds and the buildings is the importance of the staff. The government is doing a lot of work for staff, investments in our staff, and career opportunities for staff in the health care sector.”

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