NDP demands province finance entire Cassellholme redevelopment project
The Ontario NDP is calling on the provincial government to fully fund the Cassellholme long-term care home redevelopment project in North Bay.
The province has already promised $65 million to expand the 240-bed facility to add 24 new beds, as well as an Indigenous unit and beds for dementia care.
“New Democrats are fighting for Doug Ford and Vic Fedeli to do the right thing,” said NDP Deputy Leader Sara Singh in a press conference Friday morning.
Local NDP candidate Erika Lougheed joined Singh, who is the NDP MPP for Brampton Centre and long-term care critic, to make their plea to the provincial government.
“The way that it’s set up from the start has created the conditions for this to fail, quite frankly," Lougheed said. "And without having that larger contribution from the government to make it happen, the details just make things more complicated.”
Cassellholme’s nine member municipalities are being asked to guarantee the entire project cost, including the province’s portion. Some municipalities have expressed concerns about the high cost and the effect the guarantee could have on their ability to borrow money for other projects.
“It has really put municipalities between a rock and a hard place, making a nearly impossible decision,” Lougheed said.
The announcement comes after the Cassellholme board of management passed a resolution Thursday saying it plans to levy the member municipalities that have not agreed to the full guarantee. The member municipalities that have not agreed so far are North Bay, Mattawa, East Ferris, and Chisholm.
Singh said the extra pressure on the member municipalities could be avoided if the province financed the entire project.
“They have the power to do that and help us get shovels into the ground," she said.
The NDP is promising it would fund the Cassellholme redevelopment to make sure it happens in 2022, if elected. 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.
In a statement issued to CTV News, Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli said the province will continue to work with the community and Cassellholme to ensure the project’s revitalization goes ahead.
“For years, dating back to my time as mayor of North Bay, Cassellholme has been looking to the province for funding and support,” Fedeli wrote.
“After our government was elected, we secured $65 million in funding for the Cassellholme development. Our government has also helped them access low-interest funding from Infrastructure Ontario – this is identical to a successful approach we have used province-wide.”
The NDP, using data from ‘Home and Community Care Support Services North East’, say 256 people were waiting for a room at Cassellholme as of May.
Singh said long-term care spaces in municipally run homes, such as Cassellholme, are highly sought after so people can stay in their communities close to their loved ones.
“Doug Ford needs to stop making people jump through hoops and he needs to fund this redevelopment project and get it done for the community of Nipissing,” she said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.
Pearson gold heist suspect arrested after flying into Toronto from India
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Millions of cyberattacks per hour as B.C. government investigates multiple breaches
Careful attention to government statements and legislation is required to get a handle on the level of risk British Columbians’ information is under, as investigators probe multiple breaches under a continued barrage of attacks.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Debate on abortion rights erupts on Parliament Hill, Poilievre vows he won't legislate
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Justin and Hailey Bieber are expecting their first child together
Hailey and Justin Bieber are going to be parents. The couple announced the news on Thursday on Instagram, both sharing a video that showcases Hailey Bieber's growing belly.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
New 'Lord of the Rings' film coming in 2026
The Oscar-winning team behind the nearly US$6 billion blockbuster 'Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' trilogies is reuniting to produce two new films.