Infrastructure
Summary
- Construction is underway on a new six-storey long-term care home in Lantzville, with completion expected in 2029
- Amenities for seniors include living rooms and dining areas, activity spaces, a self-serve refreshment area and a hair salon
- The home will also include a child care centre and an adult day program
- It will provide almost 300 long-term care beds, including 18 hospice beds, in private rooms with ensuite bathrooms, along with larger rooms to support residents who need specialized equipment or additional space
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Nanaimo area seniors will benefit from increased access to long-term care and support services as construction begins on a new long-term care home in Lantzville.
“As more seniors need long-term care, investments like this help people stay close to their families and communities,” said Bowinn Ma, Minister of Infrastructure. “This new home will provide quality care in the Nanaimo region while we also work to drive down per-bed costs to support the delivery of more projects in communities across the province.”
Features of the new home:
The new six-storey long-term care home will include:
- 298 new long-term care beds, including an 18-bed hospice unit, and private rooms with ensuite bathrooms
- larger rooms for residents who need specialized equipment or extra space
- small, home-like living areas with shared dining, lounge, recreation and outdoor spaces
Other amenities include a hair salon, a self-serve refreshment area, activity and event spaces and outdoor spaces, a 37-space child care centre, and an adult day program to help people live independently, while accessing health and wellness services.
Construction details:
The new long-term care home at 6910 Lantzville Rd. in Lantzville will be built in partnership with the Nanaimo Regional Hospital District and Island Health. It is expected to open in 2029.
The Province is providing $236 million toward this $350 million project, with the Nanaimo Regional Hospital District contributing $114 million. As part of Budget 2026, additional funding was allocated to advance the project, which was originally budgeted at $286 million.
“It is critical to the quality of life of residents of long-term care and their families that living environments support hope, choice and meaning,” said Dr. Margaret Manville, medical director of long-term care, Island Health. “It is equally critical for staff, physicians and nurse practitioners that their workplace enables excellent care, co-operation and community. We aspire to achieve both these aims.”
The long-term care home has been designed to make day-to-day operations run more smoothly and reduce construction costs, while maintaining high-quality care. Resident rooms have been slightly reduced in size, while continuing to meet care standards. Above-ground parking is being provided on site instead of a more expensive underground parkade. These practical design choices help lower the overall cost per bed, allowing public funding to go further and support the construction of more long-term care beds for seniors throughout British Columbia.
Investing in the future of long-term care
“Seniors and their families in the Nanaimo area deserve access to high-quality long-term care close to the people and communities they know,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Health. “With construction underway in Lantzville, we are expanding access to long-term care and hospice services, while creating spaces that support residents. This new home will help seniors stay connected to their communities and give families peace of mind as their loved ones receive care.”
Long-term care capacity continues to expand to meet the needs of B.C.’s aging population. Since 2017, 16 projects have been completed and approximately 1,600 beds have been opened, more than half of them new. Six projects are under construction, including this project in Lantzville and the Colwood (Western Communities) long-term care home, which is set to break ground this year.
The Lantzville Long-Term Care Home is part of the Province’s broader commitment to strengthen health care and expand access to quality long-term care and supports for seniors on Vancouver Island and throughout British Columbia.
Learn More:
- To learn more about the Nanaimo Lantzville Long-term care home project, visit:
https://www.islandhealth.ca/about-us/plans-reports-and-policies/annual-reports/health-priorities-and-community-data/building-health/long-term-care-home-projects - For more information about health capital projects in B.C., visit:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/accessing-health-care/capital-projects - To see the last news release about this announcement from October 2023, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2023HLTH0128-001620
A backgrounder follows.
