Non-profit seniors residence proposed
Startup says region could be ‘showpiece’ for affordable retirement living options
A non-profit seniors assisted living startup company is aiming to have the Windsor area become the first jewel of its ambitious plans to expand into numerous municipalities across Ontario.
“Your region will be the showpiece,” said Dr. Peter Nord, CEO of Stillbrook Retirement Residences Inc. “It’s been exciting to have your region have such a passion for developing affordable options for seniors.
“Our goal is to have 100 buildings across Ontario by 2030.”
Stillbrook is serving as the anchor of an ambitious $250-million proposal by Hotel-dieu Grace Healthcare to create a new mixed community on the former Grace Hospital site. That plan is one of four selected bids city council will debate in the coming weeks.
In Amherstburg, Stillbrook is hoping to soon begin construction on its first affordable seniors living building.
A site has been tentatively selected, but will not likely to be made public before council’s final approval of the plan early in the new year, Amherstburg CEO John Miceli said on Tuesday.
He became familiar with Stillbrook after learning of discussions with Hotel-dieu Grace Healthcare.
“We looked at the whole aspect of affordability and demographics of our population in Amherstburg,” Miceli said. “We have 25 per cent seniors, so we have been looking at how we can provide them affordable assisted living in town. Stillbrook ticks all the boxes when it comes to that.”
Nord is a former chief medical officer and chief of staff for Providence Healthcare in Toronto where he developed programs and services to support vulnerable older adults. He was also previously vice-president and chief medical officer for Unity Health in Toronto.
“As a doctor, I’d often be sitting across from patients who had a stroke or something bad happen to them,” Nord said. “They had nowhere to go and could not afford a retirement home.
“I started asking around, has anyone looked at non-profit. It’s a simple concept, but no one had come up with it. I started talking with (Health) Ministry folks and after a few years we came up with a concept (Stillbrook) that made sense.”
The company will offer the same price tag for any seniors resident — about $2,600 per month. That is roughly half of what it costs on average in Ontario for any other assisted-living residence for seniors.
As for being non-profit, Nord explained the new company can provide affordable pricing by primarily only having two construction blueprints to choose from within its portfolio — either a six-storey or four-storey structure — with identical floor plans. There will be no basement as its buildings will be constructed on an at-grade slab.
“It takes millions out of our construction costs,” he said. “We will not redesign a building for every site. This takes much out of the front-end costs. If our design does not fit for you, we will go on to the next municipality.”
Planned green construction methods will also save on operational energy costs, Nord said.
Each Stillbrook building will primarily be staffed with personal support workers, but there will be nurses on site at all hours with a medical clinic on the ground floor open during regular business hours.
It is the larger six-storey structure that is being proposed for the Grace site, which will feature 191 rooms with 19 designed for couples, Nord said.
On the ground floor will be eight suites made available to families for respite care, which can be leased by the day, week or month.
Amherstburg is leaning toward the four-storey building as part of its discussions with Stillbrook, Miceli said.
“That best suits the needs for us,” he said.
“If we get this in place with rates Stillbrook is suggesting, it will be well received, not just for our residents, but others will move here for that small-town feel.
“We know in Amherstburg, we have some challenges with delivery of medical services. We have a nurse-practitioner clinic opening next month (in the former St. Bernard’s school) and adding this would be huge.”
Nord expects, should town council give its approval, that construction in Amherstburg will quickly get underway soon afterward.
If the Hotel-dieu Grace plan is backed by Windsor city council, site planning would begin early next year with hopes to get construction started before the end of 2020.
Stillbrook is also in discussions on a third proposal to open yet another building in Windsor’s core area within the next couple of years, regardless of what happens on the Grace site.
“We are anticipating the demand will be so great, there will be a (waiting) list a year before it opens,” Nord said.