Construction underway on County’s new long-term care home

Administrator | Jun 26, 2025 | Comments 0

H.J. McFarland residents pose for a photograph after applauding their peer Debbie Burns who joined officials and politicians on the end of official ground breaking shovels Thursday morning to mark the beginning of construction of the new $83 million municipal nursing home, located directly behind the current building.

While construction is already underway to build the new 160-bed long-term care home behind the current facility, politicians, officials, H.J. McFarland Memorial Home residents, families and caregivers gathered Thursday morning for the official groundbreaking ceremony.

The home is expected to be complete by the spring of 2027.

“Today as we break ground on the redevelopment of our long-term care home, this marks the beginning of a new chapter of how we care for our residents,” said Dione Mills, McFarland’s Acting Director, Long Term Care. “Together we are creating a home where our residents can live in safety and comfort and where families feel confident and supported, and were staff have the resources they need to provide the highest quality of care. We look forward to building a future – one of compassion, respect and hope.”

John Jordan, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Long-Term Care, told the gathering the build is a joint effort between the provincial and local governments, the leadership within H.J. McFarland, and the staff.

John Jordan, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Long-Term Care, was joined by Bay of Quinte MPP Tyler Allsopp, Mayor Steve Ferguson and Dione Mills, H.J. McFarland’s Acting Director of Long-Term Care, at the ground breaking ceremony.

“Today marks a significant milestone for the County as when construction is complete, 160 residents will have a new modern, comfortable place to call home.”

He called the province’s investments into long-term care long overdue noting they’re well on the way creating 23,000 of 58,000 new and reconditioned homes throughout the province.

The new home is designed to create a more intimate and familiar living space for residents through the use of private spaces, vibrant resident home areas and communal activities. It is to feature special services for nursing and personal care, food and diet, recreation, therapeutic and spiritual care. Amenities are to include a hair salon, lounge, gallery, outdoor gardens and an exterior walking path complete with sitting areas.

County council, in November, approved a $67.1 million tender to Matheson Constructors Limited. The capital costs for the build are estimated at $94,700,000 ($83 million construction and $11.7 million furniture, fixtures and equipment). The municipality was successful in its loan application with Infrastructure Ontario and, obtained credit approval for the loan request of $80,432,765.27. With grant revenues, more than $68 million is to be debentured.

Mayor Steve Ferguson reminded the gathering that the County has been seeking more long-term care beds since 2012 when 78 beds were lost with the closure of Picton Manor Nursing Home.

“As a result, we saw life-long County residents forced to leave their community and their families and their friends to seek long-term care elsewhere. Over the years, County councils fought hard to have those beds returned to the community, and we were eventually successful in 2019,” said Ferguson.

In 2019, the province promised to allow 76 more beds to the current allocation of 84 beds at the municipally-owned home.

“Today is truly an exciting milestone for the future of long-term care in Prince Edward County,” Ferguson said. “Behind me, the foundation of this warm and welcoming new home is starting to form… Our architects, planners and construction teams are turning the vision into a reality.”

The HJ McFarland home was constructed in 1976, with an addition in 2006. Though well-maintained, it no longer meets provincial requirements to be a nursing home. The province not only demands every municipality operate a long term care home, it also requires it be kept to standards.

Tyler Allsopp, Bay of Quinte MPP, said this was an important day “because we know what these beds mean to our community. You know our community has been one of the top retirement destinations in all of Canada for many years – leading to a situation were we are significantly older on average than the provincial population, by about 16 years.

“This much-anticipated redevelopment will provide for dignified care and comfortable living in Prince Edward County, close to families and the community. Projects like this are what happens when all levels of government work together to get things done.”