Over the past year, we have been exploring all options for this revitalization, including a renovation of the Fusco wing in the existing building or the construction of a new adjacent facility. We had advised that how we move forward would be determined by a number of factors including cost and fundraising feasibility, Ministry funding approvals, municipal design approvals and timing.
On November 25, 2022, the Ontario government announced that it was increasing its construction funding subsidy to support the cost of developing or redeveloping a long-term care home. This additional funding will fast-track the construction of new long-term care beds across the province before August 31, 2023, and significantly contribute to the overall cost of the project. We will be submitting our application by the December 20, 2022, deadline to secure this funding.
Based on the new government funding model and the associated timeframes for eligibility, the Villa Colombo Toronto Board and Villa Charities Revitalization Committee have made the decision to proceed with the renovation option, to upgrade the 266 Class B beds in the Fusco wing. To meet the legislated Class A standards, the renovated wing will have 160 upgraded beds, for a new total of 285 beds in the home. This plan will allow us to accelerate the project and provide the facility improvements to the residents of Villa Colombo Toronto as quickly as possible, while retaining the much-needed long-term care beds in the health care system.
A Virtual Town Hall was held on January 12th to discuss the proposed renovation project. The meeting included a presentation by Marco DeVuono, President and CEO, Villa Charities Inc., followed by a Q&A session with Mr. DeVuono, John Hendriks, Board Chair, Villa Colombo Toronto and Toni Dell’Aquila, Executive Director, Villa Colombo Toronto.
A copy of the presentation is available to download here.
Click here to watch a video of the meeting. Use passcode 2UG%r8ap.
Updates on the project including future meetings will be posted on this page.
For any questions related to this project, please send an email to: vctproject@villacharities.com