The British Columbia government says construction on a new long-term seniors care centre will get underway in Colwood in 2025, with an expected completion two years later.
The $224-million Western Communities Long-Term Care Project, planned for the Royal Bay area, was among the dozens of new health-care projects totalling $6.4 billion over the next three years the province set forth in its 2023 budget on Tuesday.
Comprised of four three-storey buildings, the 306-bed centre will be a purpose-built dementia-care village that includes a hospice, adult day program and a specialized unit for young people suffering from brain injuries.
Amenities such as a hair salon, bistro, coffee shop and child-care centre for residents and staff are also part of the design plan, according to the Capital Regional District's provisional 2023 financial plan approved last September.
The four buildings will feature large rooms designed to create a safe and familiar home-like atmosphere for seniors, according to a project update last year from the City of Colwood.
The care village is expected to open in 2027 on a five-acre lot already owned by the regional district on Metchosin Road, next to the new Royal B.C. Museum collections and archives building.
The provincial budget commits $157 million to the project, with an additional $67 million expected from external sources.