Cost of new residential care beds for Kelowna revealed

by Alistair Waters - Kelowna Capital News posted Sep 22, 2015 at 2:00 PM
Interior Health's latest plan to add 100 residential care beds in Kelowna will cost the health authority $5.8 million per year. Earlier this month, IH announced it had awarded a contract to Baltic Properties Ltd. to design, build and operate a new care facility in Glenmore that will house the new beds. However, at the time, the health authority refused to say how much the addition of the new facility and ongoing operation of the new beds would cost, citing confidentiality clauses in the contract. But, following a Freedom of Information request by the Capital News, the contract figure has been revealed. The $5.8 million figure is described as the base amount to be paid to Baltic Properties (Glenmore) Ltd. on annual basis. Baltic beat out 11 other proponents that submitted proposals for the new care facility. The company has build care homes for IH in the past, including facilities in Kamloops, Lake Country, Osoyoos and West Kelowna. The new Glenmore facility will be built at 325 Drysdale Boulevard. Construction is expected to begin this fall, with completion projected for early 2017. In addition to the 100 new care beds, the new facility will also include 18 private-pay residential care beds. The new Kelowna beds are part of a larger allotment,185 new residential care beds, announced by IH for the central and north Okanagan in February. The remaining 85 beds are slated for Vernon and an announcement about a successful proponent there is expected this fall. Residential care services provide around-the-clock professional supervision and care in a secure, home-like environment for individuals with complex care needs that cannot be met at home or in an assisted-living residence.