Monthly Bulletin
September 2021
NEWS, INITIATIVES AND EVENTS
COVID-19
The province has declared a new State of Emergency to better manage the risk faced by our healthcare system and vulnerable Albertans. We all still have a role in keeping ourselves and others safe from Covid-19. The 4th wave is driving a rapid increase in cases due to the more transmissible Delta variant. Effective September 16, 2021, unvaccinated people (except young children) are not permitted to have indoor social gatherings and there are numerous other new restrictions in place.
There are currently nearly 20,000 active detected cases in Alberta, with cases fluctuating in Banff (10) and higher in Canmore (21). Tragically nearly 2,800 Albertans have died.
Alberta’s vaccine rollout has surpassed 6M doses, and AHS is offering boosters to certain vulnerable persons. While some people who receive both doses will become infected, about 85% of infected people have not been fully vaccinated. Furthermore, those who are fully vaccinated are much less likely to develop severe disease. Please choose to get vaccinated if you have not already done so – Alberta is starting to see a severe rise of cases in supportive living facilities – so we need your help protecting our seniors by being careful around them. Booster shots for residents of continuing care facilities are being offered, including clinics in our lodges during the week of September 13.
With Phase 1 of the provincial continuing care easing plan, most of our precautionary measures had been lifted, but we still have some key restrictions in place in lodges. The province has just announced a new round of restrictions to protect our healthcare system and we can
anticipate some new measures in our lodges. Currently there are outbreaks over 80 supportive living facilities in the province.
Designated Supportive Living Operations Planning
Senior management continues to work on the operating model in collaboration with Alberta Health Services and other relevant professionals ahead of operations following construction of Phase 2.
PROGRAM OCCUPANCY RATES
Bow River Lodge 89%
Cascade House 75%
Bow River Homes 100%
Mount Edith House 100%
Community Housing 100%
Rent Supplement 100%
SPECIAL PROJECTS
This is Home (Phase 2)
Meanwhile, construction of the designated supportive living facility continues. The picture shows the progress.
Schedule: Clark Builders continues to work with the province and Marshall Tittimore Architects on the design and construction planning of the 60 bed DSL4/D facility. Demolition of the old lodge is complete, having made way for the new building, while leaving the newer southeast wing in place for future use. That building, the southeast wing has been established as a stand-alone building now.
Expect substantial completion in late Q4 2021, followed by commissioning in late Q1 2022.
Design: This facility has been designed to meet the needs of designated supportive living level 4 and dementia operations, including enhanced safety and care-provision considerations. We can expect to have to add enhanced infection prevention and control safeguards as the lessons of COVID take hold.
Economics: The current capital cost is $17.4 million; the Government of Alberta has committed $16.5 million to date. BVRH has agreed to contribute the remaining 5% of the capital budget (up to a maximum of $900,000) to keep the project viable.
RESOURCES
• In an emergency, please dial 911.
• For 24/7 nurse advice and general health information for Albertan’s information on diseases, treatments, staying well, and healthcare services dial 811.
• For 24/7 community program & service information, including affordability programming in the Bow Valley dial 211.
ABOUT BOW VALLEY REGIONAL HOUSING
Bow Valley Regional Housing (BVRH) is a Housing Management Body (HMB) serving the Government of Alberta and the Bow Valley Region. HMB operational funding sources vary. Tenants pay accommodation fees. Those fees are subject to affordability limits, which prevents them from fully covering the costs of operations. Provincial grants and municipal ratepayer requisitions subsidize seniors lodge deficits, while the province also subsidizes deficits in independent seniors and community housing.
As the HMB for the Bow Valley region, BVRH is responsible for social housing, as well as affordable supportive living accommodation for seniors throughout Kananaskis Country, the Bow Corridor, the MD of Bighorn and all of Banff National Park, an area covering about 13,500 square kilometres.
All told, we currently house, or help to house approximately 400 residents of the Bow Valley in eight permanent housing projects encompassing 36 separate buildings.
