Ontario Minister of Long-Term Care Rod Phillips, riding counterparts, Mayor Rob Burton and various health-care executives were on hand to announce the creation of two long-term-care (LTC) facilities in Oakville.

The proposed facilities are expected to house 640 residents and will provide “culturally appropriate” services to the Hindu and Sikh communities.

The government and its partners hope to complete the work by 2025.

“The principle is, when it comes to our elders, language, music, food, faith, these are aspects that really make the experience better,” Phillips told the gathered crowd. “These are facilities that will broadly be open to the broader public. We understand that as Ontario changes, the delivery of care needs to change to reflect culturally unique elements.”

The proposed property will be located on a patch of former agricultural land at 2165 Dundas St. W. One of the few visible structures on the parcel is a dilapidated barn. The province announced last November that they wanted to sell the land to develop long-term-care homes.

Schlegel Villages Inc. has entered into a conditions agreement of purchase and sale for the property. The facilities will be a short distance from the Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital.

“We’re going to provide seniors day programs for seniors and the broader community (to) come in and receive services, when a provider, neighbours, club or seniors can come to access social programs, to have a meal, to have a medical appointment, to go to church service,” said president and CEO of Schlegel Villages Inc. Jaimie Schlegel.

Burton, who was accompanied by Ward 7 Councillor Pavan Parmar, praised the Ontario government for facilitating the new homes.