WELLINGTON COUNTY — A longstanding plan to provide more senior housing in the County of Wellington has been cancelled after ongoing funding issues.
Announced at a county council meeting last week, Warden Andy Lennox said staff no longer sees a way to implement its Continuum of Care project, which was proposed to bring 254 units of affordable seniors housing to the Wellington Place campus, near the Wellington Terrace and Groves hospital.
While staff have continued researching opportunities for financial assistance to reduce costs and make the project "a viable option," Lennox said no new funding opportunities have been presented and staff "don't see a way forward."
Originally anticipated to cost $135 million, the project has been stalled since it was approved in October 2020, when the previous council directed staff to lobby the government for at least $36.6 million in government funding to make the project revenue-neutral before proceeding with construction.
An updated cost estimate anticipates the project would cost the county $5 million annually if implemented – $3 million more than previously projected.
"I think we gave it a really honest effort to try and find a way to make this move forward and unfortunately we weren't able to get to that point," said Lennox, at the meeting.
The remaining project funds of approximately $6.75 million are recommended to be reallocated to other housing developments.
A report on potential uses for said funding will return to county council in January 2025.
Isabel Buckmaster is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program.
