Monthly Bulletin
December 2021
NEWS, INITIATIVES AND EVENTS
COVID-19 – IMPORTANT UPDATE
The province remains under a State of Emergency as it continues to manage the risks faced by our healthcare system and vulnerable Albertans. We all have a role in keeping ourselves and others safe from Covid-19. The 4th wave has waned, but the Omicron variant will likely drive a fifth wave, which hopefully will see reduced severity. Effective September 16, 2021, unvaccinated people (except young children) are not permitted to have indoor social gatherings and there are numerous other restrictions in place.
As of December 10, there were approximately 4,000 active detected cases in Alberta, with cases very low in Banff (2), but higher in Canmore (39). Tragically more than 3,270 Albertans had died.
Alberta’s vaccine rollout has surpassed 7.1M doses, with boosters available to certain persons. Alberta is vaccinating children between 5 and 11 years old. Those who are fully vaccinated are much less likely to develop severe disease.
There were outbreaks in about 10 supportive living facilities in Alberta, and the scale of these outbreaks continues to be much smaller than those before we had vaccines.
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 87%
Cascade House 81%
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.
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 Q4 2021, followed by commissioning in Q2 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 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.
