The Chief Executive Officer for Southern Health says more personal care home beds are the top priority as far as future health projects in Steinbach. Kathy McPhail made that comment Tuesday evening in a meeting with Steinbach City Council. She says the regional health authority and the Rest Haven Group were quick to act last year when the new provincial government outlined new criteria for personal care home beds.

"After the government was elected, we very quickly had the opportunity to sit with David Driedger of Rest Haven and his board chair and put together a working committee. And we have jointly submitted a proposal within the new framework that government laid out. So we feel we have a very strong proposal."

McPhail adds the Rest Haven proposal for 80 new PCH beds has a lot going for it that proposals elsewhere don't.

"The beauty of this site is it's ready. There's a green space there that you could attach to the current personal care home, it's serviced space and so some of the other barriers that might be met in other communities are removed here. We know that our proposal is in, we know that it has been read and we are hopeful that it can continue to move through the processes. That's about what we know at this point in time."

McPhail also notes, despite all of the cost challenges facing health care, the Conservative government has clearly stated that new personal care home beds are a priority and she has high hopes the Steinbach project will be approved.

"If you look back to all the Minister's mandate letters (from the Premier) and the Minister of Health's mandate letters, one of the things that is on his list is additional personal care home beds. So we're very hopeful that Rest Haven is near the top of that list."

McPhail says there has been no indication of a timeline as to when an announcement might be made.