New 200 bed long-term care home coming to Pickering

Durham Region is set to build a new 200-bed long-term care facility featuring numerous amenities, but the the facility still needs a name.

The Region is building the home in Pickering’s rapidly expanding Seaton community at 1550 Alexander Knox Road. The site sits slightly southwest of the intersection of Brock Street and ***

Though the Region will fully own and operate the facility, Ontario pitched in some cash to get the place built. These provincial funds come from the construction funding subsidy. It’s one of 67 projects Ontario-wide to get funding through the subsidy.

The project broke ground in March and is expected to open its doors by fall 2026. In addition to the 200 residents, it will feature several common spaces including a bank, a store, a hair salon, a worship centre and a fitness area.

The final building will be three-storeys tall split between smaller common areas for about 30 residents to share. Additionally, two *** of this area will be 20-bed specialized behavioural units.

Similar to the behavioural support unit in Ajax’s Lakeridge Garden LTC, these units “provide specialized care to individuals with responsive behaviours and/or personal expressions that cannot be effectively supported in their current environment.” Often this targets patients suffering dementia or those who may become violent.

The Region said, “to help capture the spirit of Seaton, we’re inviting community members to weigh in to help shape the future of their community. Residents and community members will have an opportunity to vote on names brought forward, by local community members, during a recent information session.”

Additionally, the Region is taking votes on the facility’s name. The options include;

• Seaton Village
• Seaton Reflective Living
• Seaton Serenity Village
• Greenwood Trails
• Seaton Graceful Living

Votes can be submittted online until July 26.

Pickering has long needed reform to its long-term care services, partrticularly after the COVID-19 pandemic strained the already over-taxed system. The city’s LTC sector grew notorious after the privately-run Orchard Villa lost more than one-third of its residents to the virus.

Despite Premier Doug Ford’s insistance his government would build an “iron ring” around Ontario’s long-term care home, Orchard Villa and numerous other facilities buckled under the pressure of the pandemic.

Things improved across the industry as the pandemic waned. In the fallout, several new facilities were announced across the Region both publicly and privately run. Orchard Villa sparked renewed controversy when Ontario announced a large possible expansion to the site and a 30-year license extension. The matter remain before the courts.

Unlike private homes like Orchard Villa, public homes such as the Seaton site statistically have better health outcomes, according to Ontario Health Coalition studies.