AILSA CRAIG, Ontario — The Ontario government has introduced an updated long-term care home design manual and a catalogue of standardized designs aimed at reducing construction delays, simplifying development requirements and accelerating the delivery of modern care facilities across the province.
The changes represent the first major revision of Ontario’s long-term care design standards in more than a decade. They support the province’s commitment to deliver 58,000 new and upgraded long-term care beds while addressing growing demand from an aging population.
Updated Design Manual Aims to Reduce Construction Delays
The revised manual establishes clearer technical requirements and practical guidance for developers, architects and long-term care operators.
It addresses accessibility, dementia care, infection prevention and control, and technology integration. The accompanying catalogue provides standardized design references intended to reduce uncertainty during project planning.
According to the Ministry of Long-Term Care, the revisions incorporate feedback from industry stakeholders and are designed to make construction requirements easier to interpret and implement.
“The launch of the updated long-term care home design manual and its accompanying catalogue mark a major milestone in our work to transform the long-term care system. We are building more homes designed to meet the needs of residents,” said Natalia Kusendova-Bashta, Minister of Long-Term Care.
“This is part of our government’s plan to protect residents and increase access to world-class health care across the province, ensuring long-term care residents get the quality of care and quality of life they need and deserve.”
Standardized Designs Expected to Improve Development Efficiency
Standardized design guidance could help operators reduce preliminary design work, limit revisions and move projects through planning more efficiently.
Lisa Levin, CEO of AdvantAge Ontario, welcomed the initiative.
“AdvantAge Ontario welcomes and supports the Ministry of Long-Term Care’s updated design manual and the new design catalogue. For homes in the early stages of capital development, the design catalogue will provide greater clarity and ready-to-use solutions, simplifying planning, reducing design time and costs, and helping move projects forward with greater confidence and certainty. We look forward to continuing to work with the ministry to support our members in delivering modern, resident-centred homes across Ontario.”
The government has not specified how much construction time or money the updated standards are expected to save.
Ontario Reports Progress on 58,000-Bed Expansion Target
As of October 2026, Ontario had 168 long-term care projects representing 27,342 new and redeveloped beds that were completed, under construction or approved to begin construction.
The province is also advancing its 2025 Long-Term Care Home Capital Funding Policy and Capital Funding Program, which account for regional construction cost differences and varying operator requirements.
Additional measures include making unused government land available for long-term care development and using hospital-owned properties to accommodate facilities in urban communities.
Infrastructure Minister David Piccini linked the revised standards to the government’s broader infrastructure investment strategy.
“Ontario’s seniors deserve safe, modern and comfortable places to call home and we’re making it easier to get them built. As part of our government’s $236 billion capital plan, we are cutting red tape, streamlining construction and giving builders the tools they need to get shovels in the ground faster. With an updated design manual and a new catalogue of standardized designs, we are accelerating the delivery of long-term care homes, creating good-paying jobs and building the infrastructure that Ontario’s growing and aging population depends on.”
Craigholme Redevelopment Adds Long-Term Care Capacity in Ailsa Craig
The announcement coincided with the official opening of the redeveloped Craigholme long-term care home in Ailsa Craig, within the Municipality of North Middlesex.
The facility began welcoming residents in September 2026 and provides 13 additional beds alongside 83 redeveloped beds, bringing its total to 96.
The redevelopment is intended to improve access to modern residential care while supporting employment and economic activity in the surrounding rural community.
Industry Sees Benefits for Future Projects
Donna Duncan, CEO of the Ontario Long Term Care Association, said the standardized catalogue would be particularly useful for operators undertaking redevelopment projects for the first time.
“Every project that moves forward brings seniors and families waiting for care one step closer to a home in their own community and this milestone in Ailsa Craig matters to the people who live and work there. The new catalogue of standardized designs is a practical tool, especially for homes taking on redevelopment for the first time, giving them greater clarity and confidence as they move from planning to construction. We value the ministry’s partnership and its continued openness to working with the sector to modernize and streamline how long-term care homes are built, and we look forward to continuing this work together.”
Ontario’s long-term care strategy continues to focus on staffing, quality enforcement, modern infrastructure and improved access to services.
The updated design standards are intended to support that strategy by reducing planning complexity and helping developers bring additional long-term care capacity into service more efficiently.
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