Ontario Celebrates Opening of Fort Erie Long-Term Care Home
July 4, 2025
Fort Erie – The Ontario government is protecting the province’s long-term care system and ensuring seniors get the quality of care and quality of life they need and deserve by opening the newly developed Gilmore Lodge Long-Term Care Home and Community Hub in Fort Erie. The new home is a recipient of $35 million from the province, for a total investment of $86 million between provincial and municipal partners.
“The opening of Gilmore Lodge is a proud moment for all of Niagara,” said Sam Oosterhoff, MPP for Niagara West.
“This is a meaningful investment in people that ensures our seniors receive the respectful, quality care they deserve in a modern, welcoming environment close to their families and communities.”
A transformative project, the new long-term care home represents a shared commitment to ensuring high-quality, modern long-term care for residents in Niagara.
MPP Oosterhoff was joined at Gilmore Lodge by Hon. Natalia Kusendova-Bashta, Minister of Long-Term Care, as well as Wayne Gates, MPP for Niagara Falls; Jim Bradley, Chair of the Regional Municipality of Niagara, and Wayne Redekop, Mayor of the Town of Fort Erie, for a ribbon-cutting ceremony, today, at the new campus at 60 King Street in Fort Erie.
“Our government is proud to invest in projects like Gilmore Lodge that reflect the future of long-term care in Ontario,” said Minister Kusendova-Bashta.
“This facility was built not only to meet the highest standards of care and safety, but to foster dignity, connection, and community for our seniors.”
The new Gilmore Lodge was redeveloped in response to Niagara’s aging population and the growing demand for long-term care services. The former Gilmore Lodge Long-Term Care Home in Fort Erie and Upper Canada Lodge Long-Term Care Home in Niagara-on-the-Lake were identified by the Ministry of Long-Term Care as needing redevelopment to meet modern structural and safety standards, with both sites combining into one facility as part of the vision for the new home. Construction began in November 2021 and was completed in August 2024.
“This beautiful, state-of-the-art facility represents our commitment to providing compassionate, high-quality care to the people of Niagara,” said Chair Bradley.
“Gilmore Lodge is more than a building – it is a community space designed to support residents, families, staff and the wider Fort Erie and Niagara-on-the-Lake communities.”
The three-storey, 160-bed long-term care home features ‘neighbourhoods’ that provide smaller, home-like environments for residents, along with a co-located Gilmore Community Hub. The hub includes adult day programs, a fitness space, meeting areas, and shared amenities such as café and hair salon open to both residents and seniors in the community.
“Gilmore Lodge is a place of care, comfort, and connection,” said Mayor Redekop.
“It will serve Fort Erie residents for generations to come and I am proud of the role our community played in bringing this vision to life.”
The new home was designed with extensive input from residents, families, staff and community partners. It incorporates the latest best practices in long-term care design and is currently pursuing WELL Silver certification under the WELL Building Standard, which is a global benchmark for health and well-being in the built environment.
The home began welcoming its first residents in December 2024 and represents a step forward in enhancing long-term care services for Niagara.