Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston (left), Halifax Mayor Mike Savage (right), and Akoma Holdings Board President Kathleen Mitchell (middle), at the announcement of a new long-term care facility coming to Dartmouth (Photo by Joe Thomson).

A new long-term care facility is coming to Dartmouth, the province announced today.

It will be built near the historic African Nova Scotian communities of Cherrybrook, Lake Loon, North Preston and East Preston, and will include an Africentric advisory committee to advise on culturally responsive programs.

The committee will be established by Akoma Holdings Incorporated, which owns the land on which the former Nova Scotia Home for Colored Children used to reside. That land is also where the new facility will be built. Akoma is leasing it to Northwood who will own and operate the facility.

It’ part of the Houston government’s plan to build seven new long-term care facilities in the province by 2025. Providing 800 new rooms to Nova Scotian seniors.

“Seniors deserve the peace of mind and knowing that they can get the care they need if and when they need it. Too many Nova Scotians are waiting to get into long term care. Too many seniors are in hospitals waiting to get into long term care. Our government’s not looking the other way,” said Houston.

As for when contrition will start on the new facility, Houston could not give a specific date. He did acknowledge the current strain on the province’s capacity for construction and how it may impact the build.

“We know there’s a lot of demand on the workforce. But we’re certainly, you know, taking steps to fill that demand through population growth, immigration… we’re totally conscious of the challenges, but we accept the challenges,” said Houston.

The Province and the Halifax Regional Municipality made an arrangement to allow the project to proceed under current zoning so that it can be built faster.

“Planners, colleagues and Regional Council… recognized early on that our traditional planning processes didn’t work on these lands,” said Halifax Mayor Mike Savage.

“We all want to live in caring, inclusive communities where everybody can live, work, play and succeed. And this project is something we can work together on.”