The Town of The Blue Mountains is providing an update on its partnership with peopleCare Communities to advance a new long-term care (LTC) home in the community.
Since first announcing the partnership in May 2025, the Town and peopleCare have continued to work together to move the project forward and identify the most feasible location for a new LTC home. While the project has made significant progress, additional due diligence and technical review were required to address site-related constraints affecting the original property that was selected.
The Town’s initial work focused on a portion of the former Tee’s Please property on Grey Rd 19 in Craigleith. Through that process, environmental constraints were identified on the land that impacted site suitability for a long-term care home. The Town explored options to address these matters, but based on a detailed review, it was determined that extensive infrastructure upgrades would be required to make the project feasible.
Given the time, scope and cost associated with those requirements, the Town determined that it was in the community’s best interest to shift the project to another Town-owned property. Since that time, staff have undertaken a feasibility review of the municipal property adjacent to the new fire hall site on Grey Road 19 and have been refining site concepts with peopleCare to ensure the proposed LTC home can be advanced in a manner that does not impair the functionality of the new fire hall and supports an efficient approach to servicing, including water, wastewater and stormwater.
As a result of this effort, and as a reflection of the commitment by the Town and peopleCare Communities to advance an LTC home in the community, a staff report on the new site and proposed Agreement of Purchase and Sale (APS) between the Town and peopleCare Communities will be presented to Council at the Committee of the Whole meeting on April 13, 2026. The proposed agreement is conditional upon the Town facilitating the necessary planning and development approvals, with the exact property boundaries to be confirmed.
The importance of increasing access to long-term care in The Blue Mountains remains a long-standing community priority. The Town recognizes the need for additional long-term care capacity for local seniors and families and remains committed to working with peopleCare to help deliver this important project. The Town also recognizes that this update comes after a longer period without public communication and appreciates the community’s patience as this due diligence work was completed.
“The need for long-term care capacity in our community remains clear and Council continues to support this important initiative,” said Mayor Andrea Matrosovs. “While the project has experienced delays as a result of site constraints, staff and peopleCare have remained committed to finding a viable path forward. We are pleased to now be in a position to bring the proposed Agreement of Purchase and Sale forward for Council’s consideration.”
The extended due diligence period reflects the importance of responsible site selection and ensuring development viability before entering into an APS. Throughout this process, the Town has remained focused on advancing the project in a way that is practical, transparent and in the best interests of the community.
If Council supports the proposed APS, the next stage of the project would involve a fulsome, locally driven planning process led by the Town and supported by studies and materials provided by peopleCare. This process would include the required planning and development approvals, as well as opportunities for public engagement, including a formal public meeting.
The staff report regarding the new location and the proposed Agreement of Purchase and Sale will be brought forward at the April 13, 2026, Committee of the Whole and released as part of the revised agenda on April 10, 2026. Further information is available on the project webpage: www.thebluemountains.ca/LTC
For more information, please contact:
Adam Smith
Chief Administrative Officer
(519) 599-3131 ext. 234