Land was bought in 2016 for a personal care home in Winnipeg. There's still no sign of construction

After buying land for a new personal care home near Polo Park in Winnipeg eight years ago, the city's health authority has a property with nothing to show for it.

In 2016, the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority spent $2.1 million on a three-acre parcelat 1476 Portage Ave.

The land was purchased in March, a month before the then NDP government was trounced in the 2016provincial election.

The Progressive Conservatives made little progress on the project during their first several years in office, but in thesummer of 2023, promised to build six new personal care homes, including one at 1476 Portage.

Just a few months later, the newly elected NDP government put thefate of that personal care home, and several othercapital projects, inlimbo, as it ordered a pause to reviewthe province's finances.

Jane Pogsonsaid long waits for a personal care home bed, like the wait her 91-year-old mother is experiencing, could have been avoided.

"We are an aging population.Thesteps should have been takenyears ago, at least 10 years ago, and for whatever reason, governments, people in control didn't take those steps sooner."

The NDPannounced in March that construction on a new personal care home in Lac du Bonnet would beginthis year.

The government hasn't cancelled thecare home projects proposed by the Tories last year 143 beds in Winnipeg's Bridgwater neighbourhood, 60 beds in Arborg, 96 beds in Oakbank, 144 beds in Stonewall and 140 beds at 1476 Portage.

But the NDPhasn'tpromised they'll be built either.

1 care homebuild a year

The NDP's2024 budget commits to building four nursinghomes, starting in Lac du Bonnet, followed by two in Winnipeg and one in rural Manitoba but they haven't said specifically where the latter three will be.

One home willbe built a year, Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara told CBC Newsin an interview last month, before ablackout on government announcements due to the Tuxedo byelection began.

"All options are on the table when it comes to improving personal care home capacity for Manitobans," Asagwarasaid.

The health minister accusedthe PCs of makingpromises in an election year theycouldn't keep, and said the NDPwould employ a "strategic and thoughtful" approach to adding more beds.

• Are you waiting for a personal care home bed? Email iteam@cbc.caor call the confidential tip line at 204-788-3744.

PC seniors' critic Derek Johnson said his party'spromises weren't empty. Three of the six homes were approved by the Treasury Board and the other three homes gotmoney to finalize their plans.

"Treasury Board knew what they were dealing with to make a good, educated decision," he said.

He worries delays will further inflate the cost of these facilities.

The Winnipeg Conservatory of Music currently leases 1476 Portage Ave. The conservatory declined to speak about the care home proposal.

Even if the provincebuilds the proposed care homes there and in Bridgwater, the net number of new beds in Winnipeg would only be 22, according to a government briefing note CBC News obtainedthrough a freedom of information request.

That's because thecity lost around260beds when Parkview Place, the site of one of Manitoba'sdeadliest COVID-19 outbreaks,closedin 2022.

SueVovchuk,executive director of theLong Term andContinuing CareAssociation of Manitoba, saidParkview's closure had a "profound" impact on the sector because the residents had to find someplace else to live.

She said different housing models,such as supportive housing, in which people live in their own apartment but receive some assistance, have eased the demand for spacesatpersonal care homes.

Aging in place

But at the same time,Manitoba's population is growing andaging. Vovchuk saidthere's an increasing need for specialty bedsfor people with mental illness, younger adults and heavier patients.

Given these complexities, Vovchuk said it's difficult to say how many beds will be needed.

"Are they the right kind of beds? And with the other housing options becoming available, what does the demand look like for a personal care home?"

Pogsonhas one particular home in mind for her mother, Ann Ledwich: Meadowood Manor.

The family has toured the St. Vitalhome, but since the facility is popular, the 91-year-old has been on the wait list for more than a year, and likely will be for several more months.

Ledwich's previous experience withpersonal care homes has been limited.

After a fractured hip resulted ina hospital stay, Ledwich, who has advanced dementia, was taken to the first availablebed a private facility withmice running in the halls, "filthy" conditionsand beds withoutsafety rails, Pogson said.

She tookher mother out ofthe home within 24 hours.

"I didn't know how we were going to do it, but I knew we had to do it. I couldn't leave her in there," Pogson said.

Now her dad, Rod, is paying forhalf-day home care for himself, as well as 24/7private home care for his wife, whose mobility is restricted to a tilt wheelchair. The cost is around$400,000 a year.

While the cost is significant, it's made aging in place a possibility for theseniors, both in their 90s. On a recent morning, they cracked wise at the dining room table about trips to Portugal and swimming at the pool.

"We're committed to making sure that they have the least trauma in the last years of their lifeand the most joy that they can have," Pogson said.

It doesn't mean every day is easy, shesaid, but this housing arrangement may offer a better choice than any institutionalized setting.

"Seeingmy parents the way they arein this houseis quite joyousfor all of us," she said.

"Andso at this point,we don't want them going anywhere."

8 years later, construction still hasn't started on a Winnipeg personal care home

4 months ago

Duration 2:52

After buying land for a new personal care home near Polo Park in Winnipeg eight years ago, the city's health authority has a property with nothing to show for it. The NDP government hasn't stated what it intends to do with the land.