First-of-its-kind partnership to transform long-term care in Northern Ontario – Sagamok FN, Whitefish River FN, Town of Espanola, Espanola Regional Hospital & Health Centre sign MOU to develop a 128-bed long-term care and 20 assisted living units shared facility in Espanola.
The four governance entities met Friday afternoon on the site for the potential new long-term care facility, which will integrate First Nation culture and traditions to house residents from throughout Manitoulin Island and the North Shore Corridor.
Elder Delores Trudeau invoked a prayer, opening the formal First Nation ceremony and the signing of the historical document.
The four local leaders: Martin Lees, CEO of the hospital, Espanola Mayor Doug Gervais, Sagamok FN Chief Angus Toulouse and Whitefish River FN Chief Rodney Nahwegahbow signed the formal Memorandum of Understanding following a ceremony at the potential site, which included a Sacred Fire, Pipe Ceremony, Smudge, and Songs incorporating the First Nation tradition into the formal event.
Following that ceremony, each of the four presented statements about the potential for the new home and acknowledged the attendance of other government leaders: Sudbury MPP Vivian Lapointe, Algoma-Manitoulin MPP Bill Rosenberg, Sudbury East-Manitoulin–Nickel Belt MP Jim Belanger and Anishinabek Nation Grand Chief Linda Debassige, and their important role in bringing the project to fruition.
“This project is about building a future where our people can age with dignity, surrounded by their culture, their families, and their community,” says Nahwegahbow. “By working together as partners and respecting the sovereignty of First Nations, we are re-imagining long-term care in a way that will serve our communities for generations to come. We are ready to move this work forward and welcome provincial and federal partners to join us in making this vision a reality.”
Lees says in Espanola alone, more than 130 people are currently waiting for just 32 long-term care beds, highlighting the urgent need for expanded capacity in the region. Across the Espanola–Manitoulin area, demand continues to outpace available spaces, forcing many families to seek care far from home.
Toulouse emphasized that their vision is to create a future where Elders can receive the care they need while remaining close to home to be connected to their families, community, and Anishinaabe traditions.
Espanola Regional Hospital and Health Centre would operate the home, with planning and development guided collaboratively by all partners.
The Town of Espanola has committed 19 acres adjacent to the hospital site, extending the hospital’s footprint further down towards Lee Valley Road.
Gervais told the group of over 50 attendees that the Town of Espanola is proud to contribute land and infrastructure to support this project as a sign of their commitment to working alongside neighbours and the strong Anishinaabe Nations of this region to expand long-term care close to home.
He adds that planning together from the onset, where leaders met last fall and worked through early 2026, the project is also a viable step towards truth and reconciliation.
Lee adds that the MOU is the first step in moving forward in having the new home constructed on the property, but it will take time and the support of all levels of government to see it come to fruition.
He did not provide a timeline, but says the partners will continue to work together and engage governments to secure the support needed to move the project forward.
It was also pointed out that the building of this new facility will have economic repercussions for the Town of Espanola, providing dozens of new jobs and making the Espanola Regional Hospital & Health Centre the largest health care complex on the North Shore Corridor.
Debassige also advocated for the project, adding that the ceremony before the signing was an important acknowledgement of the land, adding that she is proud of their leadership taking this step forward in building a new facility, taking culture, tradition and history into its design.
The initial schematics were produced by 3rd Line Studio and Snyder Architects.
