Shovels are officially in the ground as construction begins on two long-term care facilities in Barrie.
At the Grove Park Home for Senior Citizens, located at 234 Cook Street, the redevelopment will upgrade 62 existing beds and add two new beds, bringing the total to 145 beds. The project also includes major infrastructure enhancements, such as a new nursing call system, upgraded fire detection and suppression systems, and advanced resident monitoring.
The Village of Innis Landing project at 800 Yonge Street involves the redevelopment of the Coleman Care Centre. This facility will receive 80 additional beds, increasing its total capacity to 192 beds. The project, which will be built in two phases, will feature expanded common areas designed to support a wide range of care services and recreational activities.
Both projects are planned with modern designs, larger resident common areas and air conditioning throughout.
Ontario’s Long-Term Care Minister Natalia Kusendova-Bashta and Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall were present for the official announcements. Both projects are beneficiaries of Ontario’s construction funding subsidy “top-up” — eligible projects receive a top-up of $35 per bed, per day, for 25 years.
“When we dream big, we envision beautiful, state-of-the-art, modern facilities,” Kusendova Bashta said.
“Today’s announcement is great news for Barrie and will ensure that 337 residents will get the care they need, in modern and safe homes.”
Nuttall emphasized the importance of local access to long-term care services.
“Long-term care is something many of us don’t fully appreciate until we, or a loved one, reach that certain stage in life,” he said.
“What the province is doing here is allowing residents to remain close to their families. The need for long-term care beds in Barrie has been growing for years. Premier Ford, Minister Kusendova-Bashta, and the provincial government are stepping up to deliver the beds our seniors need.”
He added that with Barrie’s rapid population growth, these projects are important to keeping pace with community needs.
“It’s incredibly important for our city. When we took office at the end of 2022, Barrie’s population was roughly 143,000. Now we’re at around 166,000,” he said.
“We haven’t seen an increase in long-term care beds at the same rate — until now. That has been a concern.”
Doug Downey, MPP for Barrie–Springwater–Oro-Medonte and Ontario’s Attorney General, also attended the groundbreaking ceremony at Grove Park Home. He noted that upgrading existing facilities is crucial to maintaining trusted care environments for residents.
“By modernizing these facilities, residents will be able to continue receiving high-quality care in places they know and trust,” he said.
According to an Ontario government press release, these projects are part of the province’s ongoing commitment to build 58,000 new and upgraded long-term care beds across Ontario, as outlined in the province’s 2025 budget.
