Beaver Staff
The federal government announced Wednesday it would be funding a $30.25 million, 128-bed long-term care facility on the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory.
Vance Badawey, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indigenous Services, and Chief Don Maracle, Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte, were on hand on the TMT to announce the federal funding for the construction of the new Elder Care Home.
“This will provide an opportunity for our members and others to receive care in a culturally competent setting and bolster local economic development by providing employment and opportunities in our community,” said Maracle. “We have come a long way to get to this point and I reflect back on the hard work of the Chief’s Committee on Long-Term Care, leading to the opportunity for licensing and encouraging multiple partners to work together to achieve the result that we are seeing today. I express my gratitude to all of our funders to make this project a reality. I thank our staff and contractors as well as government staff who have worked diligently over many years. This is truly an amazing accomplishment, providing benefits for persons in need of care for generations to come.”
This new 128-bed long-term care facility for the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte will provide a home for a growing elderly First Nations population, will offer critical services to residents, including 24-hour nursing and personal care, social activities, and food services, while helping to keep connections to language, culture, and community. With net-zero carbon and energy-saving components, this will be the community’s first green long-term care home.
The home is expected to staff 74 PSWs and 25 nurses, some of which will soon be able to be trained locally at First Nations Institute of Technology (FNTI) as they launch new programming courtesy funding from the provincial government.
“Elders are integral leaders in their communities, and must be able to access good, compassionate care,” said Badawey. “This over $30-million investment for a new long-term care home for the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte will offer Indigenous-led services to elders and keep them connected to their communities and culture. Indigenous-led and delivered services results in better health and wellness outcomes. I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Chief Maracle and the Chief’s Committee on Long Term Care. By working together, this is another example of reconciliation in action.”
With a detailed design for the new facility being nearly complete, the project is expected to break ground in July 2023, located on Old Hwy 2, on Mohawk-owned land. Once complete, the long-term care services provided at the Elder Care Home will support community members to continue living on the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory as they age.