The province is providing $12 million for a new long-term care facility to replace the current ageing Northland Pioneer Lodge in Meadow Lake. (file photo/meadowlakeNOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

Support for healthcare

Meadow Lake to see $12 million to replace Northland Pioneer Lodge

Mar 20, 2019 | 4:01 PM

The provincial budget released Wednesday offers good news for the Meadow Lake community, starting with funding for a new replacement care facility.

The new budget promises $12 million to construct a new long-term care facility to replace the current aging Northland Pioneer Lodge (NPL). The province says construction is expected to start in the spring of 2020.

“We’re very pleased and happy about that,” Mayor Gary Vidal said. “It’s been a long time coming. It’s good news for our people.”

The existing facility located on Third St. W. was originally built in 1955, with additions made in the 1960s and 1980s. The new replacement facility will be built on the northwest part of Meadow Lake.

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The facility will provide 72 beds instead of the current 55 beds at the existing site.

The City of Meadow Lake and the R.M. of Meadow Lake will also be contributing to the cost of the build as part of their partnership agreement with the province on the project.

“Everybody is ready for this so I think it’s a good thing,” Vidal said.

Dialysis service support

Meadow Lake will also receive $700,000 in new funding from the province to support creating a new satellite dialysis service.

“That’s something that has been talked about for a little while,” Vidal said. “I think that’s very good news for those folks that will not have to make that trip up and down the road to one of the cities to get that service.

“I know some people are going to be very excited about that,” the mayor added.

Mental health

The province is also targeting funding for mental health and addictions support to benefit communities across Saskatchewan. The province is increasing funding by $29.8 million to $402 million. This includes $13.7 million going to mainly support doctors and nurses at the Saskatchewan Hospital North Battleford.

“Mental health issues are an increasing challenge in our society,” he said. “There‘s some investment in that that is going to be received as a very good thing for those who need that help.”

Vidal, who has experience as an accountant said he was pleased with the surplus and that the Sask. Party government focused on balance.

“I think it’s important that we balance budgets. We do that in our city; we do that in our homes. We try to do that in our businesses. I think it’s very important we operate on a balanced budget and I’m happy to see they have got back to that place,” he said.

—

angela.brown@ jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @MeadowlakeNOW