Trailblazing LTC home at Trent advances teaching, research, intergenerational connections

peopleCare Communities marked a pivotal milestone with the groundbreaking of a new 224-bed not-for-profit long-term care (LTC) home on Trent University land, Canada’s first LTC home located on a university campus.

This innovative LTC home raises the bar on peopleCare’s aspirations to create vibrant, intergenerational communities while reinforcing Trent’s reputation as a globally recognized age-friendly university. Seniors, families, students and staff will enjoy access to the campus’ beautiful setting and amenities that promote lifelong learning, wellness and connection. In short, this trailblazing partnership between peopleCare and Trent will redefine how people think about aging and care.

“peopleCare is thrilled to build and operate a new long-term care home that will be a centre of excellence for aging adults in Peterborough, as part of Trent University’s Seniors Village. We’re excited to collaborate with an innovative partner like Trent and create something truly unique, where clinical best practices, teaching, research and intergenerational connections come together, said Brent Gingerich, Chairman and CEO of peopleCare. “We sincerely thank the government for their continued commitment to modernizing care and services for seniors and their families in Ontario.”

Joining the celebration, Minister of Long-Term Care Natalia Kusendova-Bashta highlighted the provincial significance of the project.

“Our government is improving long-term care by building more homes, hiring more staff, and protecting those who reside in them,” said the Minister. “Today marks a significant milestone for the City of Peterborough. Once construction is complete, 224 people will have a new home where they can receive the care they need, when they need it.”

A cornerstone of the collaboration with Trent is educating nearly 100 nursing and kinesiology students each year, with hands-on and simulated clinical experience, summer jobs, volunteer opportunities, and potential expansion to other programs – sparking interest in geriatric care and shaping the next generation of healthcare leaders.

peopleCare and Trent will also draw on the expertise of the Trent Centre for Aging & Society to research promising practices in aging, trial cutting-edge initiatives and spread innovation across the LTC sector and broader health system.

“Following years of planning, breaking ground on this long-term care home marks a meaningful step forward for Trent, for peopleCare and for the community,” said Dr. Cathy Bruce, President and Vice-Chancellor of Trent University. “This project will help meet the urgent need for care, while also creating a space where innovation, research, and learning come together to improve quality of life for older adults. It’s a place where care will be practiced with compassion, informed by evidence, and to benefit others.”

peopleCare’s vision is to change the world of senior living by designing vibrant communities that support people to live and work with purpose and vitality. The new LTC home will be fully integrated into Trent’s University Integrated Senior’s Village, a synergy that reflects a shared commitment to enriching the lives of seniors, students and the broader community for years to come.

“It all goes back to the trust and the relationship, that north star we’ve been moving towards together. We have this common aspiration to deliver a different experience and to reimagine how to live and age well,” said peopleCare President Megan Allen-Lamb. “I remember driving on to this beautiful campus with lush greenery, trees and a flowing river and imagining our residents getting to experience all the amenities of a university community. You couldn’t ask for a better setting for our residents to be enriched and to continue on a quest of lifelong learning.”

Committed to helping the government achieve its goals for modernized care, peopleCare is among the province’s leading operators investing in local communities by building and opening LTC homes and actively seeking new opportunities to partner in municipalities where LTC and other types of seniors care, services and housing is most needed.

“This new long-term care home is a critical step forward in addressing the needs of our aging population here in Peterborough and across Ontario. It’s more than just a building; it’s a promise to our seniors that they will have a safe, modern, and comfortable place to call home, where they can receive the high-quality care they deserve. I’m proud to see this project moving forward, as it directly supports our government’s commitment to building a stronger, healthier future for everyone,” said Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith.

peopleCare extends a warm thank you to our partners including our builder D. Grant Construction, Battlefield Equipment Rentals, NexGen Excavation, AWD Contractors, Alder Concrete Group Ltd. and many more whose exceptional teams are bringing this development to life.

Slated for completion in 2027, the Peterborough LTC home will be a major local employer, creating over 200 new jobs and showcasing LTC as a rewarding and vital career path while building a skilled, compassionate workforce.

LEARN MORE

Read the Government of Ontario’s full news release: Ontario Breaks Ground on Long-Term Care Home in Peterborough

Visit the Peterborough LTC development page or learn more about all of peopleCare’s developments here Designing Vibrant Communities

Read Dance, Aging and Collaborative Arts-based Research in which peopleCare describes our experience bringing the transformative power of creative movement, music, and artistic expression to our residents, in a safe and accessible way.

Read Trent’s Seniors Village Leading Practices Report series.

Listen to OLTCA Coming of Age podcast Rethinking how we Create Seniors’ Communities with peopleCare President Megan Allen-Lamb, and Trent University President and Vice-Chair Cathy Bruce.

 About peopleCare Communities
peopleCare is a Canadian, family owned and mission-driven leading operator of senior living communities, with strong values and a 57-year history of service. We are committed to engagement and collaboration to create vibrant communities of care that deliver meaningful experiences, clinical best practices, engaging programs and integrated services that meet the needs of Ontario’s older adults. peopleCare’s leadership and innovation focus has earned Accreditation Canada Exemplary Status, Canada’s Best Managed Companies Platinum designation, and resulted in our award-winning Clinical Pharmacy Model, a first-of-its-kind for long-term care in Canada.

About Trent University
One of Canada’s top universities, Trent University was founded on the ideal of interactive learning that’s personal, purposeful and transformative. Consistently recognized nationally for leadership in teaching, research and student satisfaction, Trent attracts excellent students from across the country and around the world. Here, undergraduate and graduate students connect and collaborate with faculty, staff and their peers through diverse communities that span residential colleges, classrooms, disciplines, hands-on research, co-curricular and community-based activities. Across all disciplines, Trent brings critical, integrative thinking to life every day.