The Chief Executive Officer for HavenGroup calls it a relief.

David Driedger is referring to Friday's announcement by the Health Minister. Kelvin Goertzen announced Rest Haven Nursing Home in Steinbach can proceed with the planning for up to 140 additional personal care home beds. The government has committed to contributing about $133,000 per bed toward the construction of new PCH facilities.

"We are very pleased with the provincial government's approval to begin design work," says Driedger. "We have been at it for nearly a decade."

Driedger says if things go well, the schematic design work will be completed by spring of 2018. There would be additional design work required before the project can go to tender. He hopes to put shovel in the ground in 2019 and move into the building in 2020.

Majority of construction will be in the green space to the west of their existing facility. Rest Haven today is a 60-bed facility and they are planning to add 80 beds. Driedger says the plan is that once construction is complete, Rest Haven will have 140 brand new PCH rooms. That means the space where the 60 beds are today will be repurposed and used by support services.

Driedger says it is too early to suggest how much this expansion will cost.

According to Driedger, in Steinbach and area, there are about 80 seniors currently awaiting a PCH bed. That means, hypothetically speaking, if this expansion were to open today, it could accommodate everyone currently on a waiting list in this area. Steinbach currently has 120 PCH beds, which includes 60 beds at Bethesda Place.

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Rest Haven Gets Go Ahead To Add Up To 140 PCH Beds