Schlegel Villages is proud to announce plans to develop a new 320-bed long-term care Village within the Vaughan Health Care Centre Precinct, bringing its distinctive model of living and care to one of Ontario's fastest-growing communities. Anchored by the first long-term care phase, the new Village will eventually offer a complete continuum of care for seniors, including a retirement home offering every option from assisted living and memory care to fully-independent seniors’ apartments.
Located alongside Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital and within a growing network of health care and education partners, the new Village will become part of an innovative precinct designed to bring together health care, research, education and community services in one integrated campus. Through partnerships with Mackenzie Health, York University, Seneca Polytechnic and other organizations across the precinct, the Village will help strengthen connections between care, learning and innovation while expanding access to compassionate, person-centred long-term care for older adults.
Designed to foster meaningful relationships and a true sense of home, the Village will feature 10 neighbourhoods of 32 residents each. Every neighbourhood will include welcoming gathering spaces such as a family room, country kitchen and the dining room, creating opportunities for residents, families and team members to connect as part of everyday life.
The Village will offer exclusively private rooms, providing residents with greater comfort, dignity and privacy while supporting enhanced infection prevention and control practices. The home will also be designed to provide culturally appropriate services that reflect the diversity of the surrounding community.
At the heart of the Village will be Schlegel Villages' signature Main Street — a vibrant gathering place that reflects the life of a small town and encourages connection throughout the day. Residents, families and neighbours will enjoy amenities including a café, library, spiritual care centre, community centre with solarium, Program for Active Living exercise and therapy space, council chambers, general store and hair salon, creating opportunities for meaningful engagement every day of the year.
The Village will also build on Schlegel Villages' longstanding commitment to integrating education with care through a Living Classroom in partnership with Seneca Polytechnic. This is where the healthcare professionals of the future have the opportunity to learn in this new Village alongside team members and residents, building on nearly 20 years of Schlegel experience as education partners within the Living Classroom model.
“Ontario’s investment in new long-term care capacity in Vaughan is an investment in both the future of seniors’ care and the workforce that will support it,” says Seneca Polytechnic president David Agnew.” At Seneca Polytechnic, we’re delighted that our students will have the opportunity to learn and contribute, and to build rewarding careers in these new care environments while helping to meet Ontario’s growing demand for skilled health professionals.”
"For more than 70 years, our family has believed that long-term care should be about far more than providing care – it should create places where people belong," says Jamie Schlegel, President and CEO of Schlegel Villages. "The Vaughan Health Care Centre Precinct represents an incredible opportunity to bring together health care, education and community in ways that will benefit older adults for generations to come. We are honoured to become part of that vision."
Jamie says the new Village reflects the organization's ongoing commitment to helping reshape seniors' care through thoughtful design, meaningful partnerships and opportunities for learning.
"When we bring together residents, families, team members, students and health care partners, everyone benefits," he says. "We believe the future of long-term care is built on connection, innovation and a genuine sense of belonging, and we're excited to help bring that vision to Vaughan."
The announcement marks another important step in expanding access to high-quality long-term care for older adults across Ontario while helping meet the growing needs of York Region as a whole.
Construction timelines and additional details about the Village, including its official name, will be announced as the project progresses.
