Six new and expanded residential care facilities planned for B.C.

Vancouver’s health authority has signed agreements for six new and expanded residential care facilities, which will provide about 225 new beds across British Columbia’s south coast.

Vancouver Coastal Health says the agreements are part of a $40-million, 10-year strategy that will see expansions at a significant number of the region’s residential care facilities.

Health Minister Terry Lake says B.C. will need to be ready for a care shift to accommodate an aging and growing population.

The facilities that will be expanded include Point Grey Private Hospital and Casa Mia Care Centre in Vancouver, as well as Fraserview in Richmond.

Richmond will get a new 135-bed facility called Hamilton Village Care Centre, while the 150-bed Creekstone Care Centre will be built in North Vancouver and the 125-bed Silverstone Care Centre will be constructed in Sechelt.

The health authority says negotiations are underway for even more new or expanded facilities, and it expects to announce agreements for about 300 additional new beds for Vancouver later this year.