Rural Ontario communities push back against plan to move long-term care beds to Cornwall

Floyd Brenz., Philippine Canadian Inquirer
October 07, 2026

Photo Courtesy: CBC News

For families in three eastern Ontario communities, a proposed new long-term care facility in Cornwall could mean more than a new building. It could mean saying goodbye to care homes that have long been part of their communities.

Southbridge Care Homes has submitted a proposal to Ontario’s Ministry of Long-Term Care to build a new 320-bed facility in Cornwall. The plan would consolidate beds from three existing homes: The Palace in Alexandria, Pinecrest in Plantagenet and Heartwood in Cornwall.

The three homes currently provide a combined 248 beds. The proposal would eventually close the existing facilities once the new Cornwall home is completed.

The plan has triggered opposition from local officials and families, particularly in the rural communities of Alexandria and Plantagenet.

North Glengarry Township has warned that moving the 70 beds at The Palace out of Alexandria could make it harder for residents and their families to stay connected. The municipality is urging people to participate in the provincial consultation and raise concerns about access to care close to home.

Similar concerns are being raised in Plantagenet, where Pinecrest currently has 60 licensed beds. The home also has a waiting list, highlighting the existing demand for long-term care in the community.

For families, distance is one of the biggest concerns. Moving residents to Cornwall could mean longer trips for spouses, children and other relatives who regularly visit their loved ones.

There are also concerns about maintaining French-language services, particularly because Pinecrest serves a predominantly francophone community.

Southbridge, however, has emphasized that the proposal is still subject to provincial review and that no immediate closures are planned. The company has also said it continues to explore opportunities to maintain long-term care beds in existing communities.

The province is now gathering public feedback on the proposal, with submissions accepted until October 16.

For the communities affected, the consultation has become a debate over what the future of long-term care should look like: larger centralized facilities with more beds, or smaller homes that allow seniors to remain closer to the communities and families they know.