Maxville Manor announces start of $65-million redevelopment project, fundraising campaign

MAXVILLE — Maxville Manor recently announced a goal of raising more than $3 million for the redevelopment of the long-term care facility. 

Chief executive officer Amy Porteous said the project has been in the planning stages since she joined the manor in 2020, but now things are really starting to come to fruition.

Nearly 60 per cent — or $4.5 million — of the $7.5-million fundraising goal has already been achieved. The manor is looking for more donors to step forward to reach the $7.5-million figure as the construction phase of the project is anticipated to last 40 to 44 months. Donors can make a one-time contribution, or donate consistently through a five-year plan. 

With a total of 18 long-term care facilities in Eastern Ontario, Maxville Manor is one of three non-profits; two of the 18 are municipally-run, while the remaining 13 are for-profit operations. Porteous said that about 55 per cent of long-terms care homes across the province are for-profit, while 45 per cent are non-profits or municipally-run. In 2021, an AdvantAge Ontario poll found that 74 per cent of respondents would prefer to live in a non-profit care home. 

“Caring for, getting to know, keeping an eye on residents is what we’re all about here at the manor. We treat people like family, whether it’s a staff member, resident, or their family,” said Porteous.

Recently, an estimated $65-million investment was announced for Maxville Manor, funded through a construction funding subsidy from the Ministry of Long-Term Care. The provincial funding for the project itself was first approved and announced in March 2020, days before the pandemic restrictions began. SDG council signed off on a $2.5-million capital grant that August.

“If there is any income left at the end of the year, (non-profits) put that back into operations. As an organization, we aim to have a balanced budget every year,” said Porteous in a nutshell, explaining the unique funding model, which also relies on community fundraising and mortgage acquisition to bridge financing for the project. 

In 1994, a $9-million renovation project on the care facility reduced its capacity to 122 beds with 80 per cent considered private. Now, the redevelopment is looking to accommodate 160 individuals in a “more intimate, home-like (living) concept” which will offer 60 per cent private beds and 40 per cent semi-private. The new model will also see smaller clusters of individuals per section of the manor in an effort to foster a stronger sense of belonging in a layout that is more conducive to community-building, with extra infectious control considerations in-place. 

“The redeveloped home will feature state-of-the-art amenities, including enhanced heating, ventilation, and infection prevention and control systems, ensuring the utmost safety and well-being of our residents,” reads a Maxville Manor press release.

“Moreover, modernized design elements will provide more functional, flexible, and accessible spaces, complemented by technological advancements, and upgraded parking and outdoor facilities. By completion, Maxville Manor will accommodate 160 individuals… drawing residents from both our local community and across Eastern Ontario, an area where more than 40,000 seniors await long-term care, with over 100 currently on Maxville Manor’s waitlist.”

Currently, over 40 per cent of the manor’s residents are from Glengarry counties, 30 per cent are from Stormont and Dundas counties, 20 per cent are from Prescott-Russell, and 10 per cent are from Ottawa, Quebec, and elsewhere.

To learn more about the project and the Together fundraising campaign, visit www.maxvillemanor.ca and the manor’s social media pages. Over the coming months, Porteous said the manor may announce a euchre tournament fundraising event for the cause.

shoneill@postmedia.com