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Opinion: CUPE VP disappointed with the collapse of Cassellholme redevelopment project

'All we are asking for is quality of care for our seniors, the greatest generation. They have survived both the second world war and the great depression'
cassellholme
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Editor's note: Mr. Giroux's letter is in response to the BayToday article Lack of support from North Bay Council pushes Cassellholme redevelopment to the brink

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CUPE Local 146 staff members, family council, residents, and family members are disappointed with the collapse of the Cassellholme redevelopment project. All we are asking for is quality of care for our seniors, the greatest generation. They have survived both the second world war and the great depression.

We call on the provincial government to put its money down now, rather than amortizing it, and so reduce the amount that municipal governments in this area have to borrow.

We are asking municipal governments to arrange loans and to own the infrastructure and operate the facility, which will be much cheaper.

And we are asking our local financial institutions to loan our municipal governments the money that our communities have lodged with them in mortgages, loans, and savings. We all need to pull together now to make the redevelopment happen,

During Covid-19’s first wave, municipally owned and operated homes in Ontario had a death rate of 1.4 residents per 100 beds, contrasted with an average of 3.8 residents per 100 beds for for-profit facilities.

Municipally owned and operated infrastructure is proven to be much less expensive to operate than privately owned and operated (P3) projects.

Brent Giroux

Vice President CUPE 146

North Bay