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Health and Community Services
May 24, 2011

Next Stage of Construction Begins at Carbonear Long-Term Care Facility

Work is progressing on the construction of the long-term care facility in Carbonear. This month a construction contract for $2.3 million was awarded to Triple A Excavating Ltd. of Torbay to construct a new parking lot, establish site services and carry out initial site excavation in preparation for the next phase of construction.

“Enhancing access to our health care system throughout the province remains a top priority for our government and we are investing significantly to further that commitment,” said the Honourable Jerome Kennedy, Minister of Health and Community Services and MHA for Carbonear-Harbour Grace. “We recognize that demographics in Newfoundland and Labrador are shifting, and we are responding accordingly. Our investments in the long-term care and community supports system, including our continued commitment to construct a new long-term care facility in Carbonear, will enable the Provincial Government to respond to our aging population for many years to come.”

The new 250-bed facility, which will be located on the existing Carbonear General Hospital site, will include space for recreation therapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and spirituality. This construction project will also include the redevelopment of ambulatory care for the hospital.

As work progresses on the new facility, additional contracts will be issued in the near future for the redevelopment of a new patient and visitor entrance to the hospital and for paving of the new parking lot and access roads. A tender is expected to be called in August 2011 for the construction of the main building. The facility is expected to be ready for occupancy in late 2014. Budget 2011 Standing Strong: For Prosperity. For Our Future. For Newfoundland and Labrador provides $20 million for the continued construction of the facility.

“Budget 2011 again illustrates our commitment to long-term care and community supports with strategic investments in infrastructure and human resources which will continue to enhance access to vital health care services throughout the province as close to home as possible for our residents,” added Minister Kennedy. “Through our overall investment in the new long-term care facility in Carbonear, residents in the region will have access to long-term care services they need without having to relocate away from home and their families.”

Budget 2011 furthered the Provincial Government’s commitment of advancing health infrastructure with a total investment of $272.2 million, which includes $200.6 million for new and continuing construction and redevelopment projects, $50 million for new equipment and $21.6 million for repairs and renovations. Investments in the long-term care and community support system also continued through Budget 2011, including $2.6 million to increase the current home support hourly subsidy rate by 25 cents; $2.4 million to increase the personal care home subsidy rate from $1,717 to $1,800 as well as the creation of 100 new portable subsidies; and, $1.1 million to increase the monthly maximums for home support subsidies to ensure the current number of hours available for home support are maintained.

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Media contacts:

Jennifer Tulk
Director of Communications
Department of Health and Community Services
709-729-1377, 699-6524
JenniferTulk@gov.nl.ca 

2011 05 24             12:40 p.m.

 
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