July 23rd, 2021

Ontario’s New Democrats fight to save Cassellholme redevelopment

NDP says Doug Ford should fully fund vital local long-term care project

NORTH BAY — With the redevelopment of Cassellhome on the rocks, Ontario’s New Democrats are fighting to save the project to add and refurbish long-term care spaces in North Bay by pressing Doug Ford’s government to fully fund it.

At stake are 240 existing beds and 24 new beds in North Bay. As of May 2021, 256 people were waiting for a space at Cassellholme, according to data from Home and Community Care Support Services North East.

“Cassellholme is critically important to the well-being of families in our community,” said Erika Lougheed, NDP candidate for Nipissing. “And the needs are growing, not shrinking. No one should ever be forced to move their loved one into a facility outside of the community — cut off from family and friends, making visits and staying connected even tougher.

“Doug Ford could move the Cassellholme redevelopment forward today with the stroke of a pen, and Ontario’s New Democrats are urging him to do just that. If Doug Ford and Vic Fedeli refuse to fund the redevelopment of Cassellholme now, an NDP government will in 2022.”

Cassellholme is one of the types of long-term care that Ontario’s New Democrats have committed to expanding. As part of its plan to overhaul long-term care, the NDP has promised to create 50,000 new spaces, end the waitlist, and make the system fully public and not-for-profit.

But the needed development and addition at Casselholme has been stalled because the Ford government doesn’t want to put up the funds to help the northern community get shovels in the ground now.

“Long-term care spaces in municipally run homes like Cassellholme are highly sought after because families want their loved ones to have the best possible quality of life as they age,” said NDP Deputy Leader and Long-Term Care critic Sara Singh. “Instead of letting for-profit operators have an advantage, so they can keep cutting corners on care and warehousing seniors, we should be investing in expanding not-for-profit and public spaces in community-based, home-like settings that put care first. The province is holding back Nipissing instead of just flowing dollars and getting shovels in the ground on Cassellholme’s redevelopment, now.”