Ontario Construction News staff writer
Construction has begun on redevelopment of the Belmont House, a non-profit long-term care facility in Toronto.
The project in the upscale Annex, Yorkville area will add 168 beds to bring total capacity to 308 beds. It will see construction of an 11-storey building on the north side of the property, Ontario’s Long-Term Care ministry said in a statement.
Funding is being provided by community donors and through the provincial Capital Funding Program.
The new beds will come at a time when Ontario says there are more than 40,000 people on a waiting list for a place in a long-term home.
Area residents at a Toronto city council meeting last January, however, said the development would slow traffic during construction, remove green space and bring unwanted shade onto other houses on the street.
Toronto City Council unanimously approved the project at its meeting in February, with councillors saying benefits outweigh the costs.
The Belmont House expansion is designed around eight “resident home areas” across eight floors, creating a familiar living space for 21 residents per floor, with dedicated dining and activity areas, lounges and bedrooms.
The new facility will feature shared amenities, including a resident lounge, café, tuck shop and renovated auditorium on the ground floor, the ministry says.
Two upper floors will provide retirement living suites with a range of accommodation supports. The home, one of thirty-five not-for-profit long-term care projects under construction across the province, is expected to welcome its first residents in the fall of 2028.
Belmont House is licensed to and operated by Belmont House.
“Belmont House was established in 1852, and this is an exciting time for us as we move forward into the future and prepare to care for an additional 200 seniors in our new building, including 168 long-term care residents,” said Maria Elias,
Belmont House CEO.
“This expansion will enable us to provide a continuum of care that supports all levels of care for our seniors in our community.”
