Welcome

Introduction

Since the 2007 announcement of the Centre of Excellence for Integrated Seniors' Services
(CEISS) to be located on the Hogarth Riverview Manor site in Thunder Bay, St. Joseph’s Care
Group has been given the mandate to develop this exciting project in collaboration with the
Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs & Housing, the North
West Local Health Integration Network, the City of Thunder Bay, the District Social Services
Administration Board, the North West Community Care Access Centre and other community
agencies. 

The Centre of Excellence for Integrated Seniors' Services evolved after the City of Thunder Bay
made a decision to return 300 of its municipally-run, long-term care beds (located in Dawson
Court and Grandview Lodge) to the Province of Ontario in January 2009.  These long-term care
beds will remain open until the new CEISS facility is operational.

St. Joseph’s Care Group has consulted extensively with the business community, academic
institutions, unions, physicians, residents, families and other healthcare agencies to ensure
the most innovative programs and practices are in place when the CEISS opens.

The new CEISS includes:

• Enhanced services for existing supportive housing units at the PR Cook Apartments and 
  Jasper Place

• Community support services for an additional 120 clients, provided by North West 
  Community Care Access Centre

• Special funding to provide 75 transitional supportive housing apartments at McKellar Place 
  (until the CEISS Apartments are completed)

• 132 new supportive housing apartments

• 544 long-term care beds, including 64 beds for seniors in the North West with responsive behaviours (i.e., dementia) and Bethammi Nursing Home redevelopment.

This innovative seniors’ project is the first of its kind in Ontario.  The project began in
September 2007 and, to date, enhanced services for existing supportive housing clients, community support services for an additional 120 clients, and the transitional supportive
housing program at McKellar Place are already running and meeting urgent needs in our community. 

The design phase for the 132 supportive housing apartments are complete, and construction
of this building has been divided into two phases:

• The foundation was completed in November 2010
• Framing and building begins May 2011, with completion expected in late summer/early fall 2012.

Efforts are currently focused on preparations to tender the long-term care component of the CEISS project.