REGINA — The provincial government has announced that additional long-term care beds will soon be added in Regina, as part of a promise to increase senior care capacity in the province.
A total of 600 new beds will soon be added, beginning 250 specialized beds for residents with dementia, mental health and complex behavioural needs and followed by 350 standard long-term care beds.
"We are committed to providing the best possible services for residents who need long-term care in Regina and area," said Everett Hindley, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, Seniors, and Rural and Remote Health.
The additional spaces will be housed in a new facility owned and operated by the Saskatchewan Health Authority, and some are intended to replace the more-than 350 beds at Regina Pioneer Village, some of which have been out of use for several years due to the infrastructure issues.
Planning for the new facility is already underway in partnership with the Ministry of SaskBuilds and Procurement. No further details on location or a timeline for construction has been confirmed yet.
Minister of SaskBuilds and Procurement Jim Reiter said the introduction of new long-term beds will “help to improve the quality of life for residents, their families and facility staff.”
The addition of new care beds in Regina is part of a $2 billion stimulus plan from the provincial government, first detailed in the recent budget, which aims to boost economic recovery from the pandemic.
Government officials began the request for proposal process for the replacement of Regina Pioneer Village, which houses a large number of the specialized long-term care beds available in the Queen City, back in 2019.
