Latest news with #McNeilly
Perth Now
04-05-2025
- Business
- Perth Now
REVEALED: The $120 million plan to change Perth's skyline
A $120 million, 23-storey apartment complex in South Perth, featuring a mix of residential apartments, aged-care facility and a restaurant/cafe, is set to transform the local skyline. The proposal has been recommended for approval by the City of South Perth and is set to get the green light from State planning authorities today, despite concerns from local residents about its height and potential impact on the surrounding area. Should the project be approved, it would include 102 residential units, 18 care suites within the aged-care facility, along with medical services designed to support the health and well-being of the aged residents. Your local paper, whenever you want it. The development would feature 12 one-bedroom apartments, 62 two-bedroom apartments and 28 three-bedroom apartments, with four of these being penthouses. The 'L-shaped' lot of the proposed apartments is positioned to the west of Perth Zoo, at the corner of Lyall Street and Labouchere Road in South Perth. The proposal includes a restaurant/cafe on the ground floor. Credit: Supplied The site was initially planned for a 38-storey vertical village featuring 98 luxury apartments but this development was halted due to rising construction costs during the COVID-19 pandemic and was officially cancelled in October 2023. Given its prime location near Perth Zoo and South Perth Bowling Club, Sirona Urban managing director Matthew McNeilly was pleased with the new design, which he believes could cater to a diverse range of home seekers. 'We've put a lot of thought into enabling those who want to downsize to make the absolute most of their later years in accommodation that suits their lifestyle needs, at the same time releasing much-needed existing properties to the market for other families to begin a new generation in the area,' Mr McNeilly said. 'The Lyall Street location is an easy walk to everything: the Swan River foreshore, Mends Street Good Grocer, cafes and restaurants, local medical services, and specialty shops. In addition to the apartments and aged care facility, the development is set to feature a residents' lounge, fitness centre, cinema and pool. The location of the proposal in South Perth. Credit: Supplied However, not everyone is pleased with the proposal. Public consultation was carried out through written notices to 969 neighbouring properties, resulting in 19 formal objections. The most common issues raised in opposition to the development were its height, obstruction of views and concerns over visual privacy. 'This proposal gets an absolute NO from me. It is blocking our last views of the City, is significantly devaluing our home, might well block the sun as well which is decreasing the quality of life in our homes and at the pool,' one neighbouring resident said. 'The proposed development will substantially compromise the privacy of my home and the other residencies of The Sanctuary, including the associated outdoor communal areas,' another said. The 23-storey proposed development is worth $120 million. Credit: Supplied Despite objections from local residents, the City of South Perth concluded the proposal would be suitable for the area. 'The development is of a scale and design which is also broadly consistent with the existing and desired future development within the locality,' the report stated. 'Matters that have the potential to adversely impact the amenity of adjoining residential properties are appropriately addressed through details contained within technical reports and via the recommended conditions of development approval.' One of the conditions set by the city requires the applicant/owner to contribute one per cent of the development's estimated cost towards public art, either through a payment to the City of South Perth, capped at $1 million or by providing public art on-site, as per the city's local planning policies. The Metro Inner Development Assessment Panel is set to make the final decision on the proposal today, Thursday, May 1.
CBC
25-04-2025
- Health
- CBC
Lack of French-speaking staff leading to burnout at P.E.I. long-term care home, MLA says
Social Sharing Issues were raised in the P.E.I. Legislature around staffing shortages and patient safety at a provincially operated long-term care home in Charlottetown. Some nurses from Beach Grove Home were looking on Friday as Opposition health critic Gord McNeilly brought up their concerns about vacant bilingual nursing positions. The Liberal MLA said staff told him up to 84 resident-care worker (RCW) shifts go unfilled every month at the home due to a lack of French-speaking workers. "A nurse reached out to me and she said that… she's stressed. She goes home, can't relax. She used to do things like run and cycle and she had to put those on hold," said McNeilly, who represents Charlottetown-West Royalty where the home is located. "This is the dedication of our health-care staff, but we're burning them out… and it was heartbreaking to get that message." P.E.I. Health Minister Mark McLane confirmed that one of two bilingual licensed practical nurse positions at Beach Grove Home is vacant, while five of eight French-speaking RCW positions are unfilled. While he admitted it can be challenging to hire bilingual health workers, McLane said Collège de l'Île has restarted its training program for French-speaking RCWs, and the province is trying to recruit internationally. "At this time, there's actually only one bilingual resident at [Beach Grove Home], so the demands aren't too great," he said. "With New Brunswick being our neighbour, it's tough to compete for bilingual positions." In the legislature, the health minister pointed to efforts Health P.E.I. is making to recruit more nurses to its system, including grant programs and an expansion of UPEI's nursing program. McLane also said 500 nursing positions across the Island are being made permanent, which he said will help stabilize the workforce. But McNeilly said those efforts do little to help the burned-out staff at Beach Grove Home in the short-term. "We want the French services, but… you're leaving vacant shifts because of this technicality," he said. "It's not a language issue; it's a service issue." McNeilly asked whether McLane would commit to directing Health P.E.I. to hire English-only term roles for one year to complement the home's staff until those permanent positions can be filled. The health minister said he would take that suggestion back to his department. Unsafe shower facilities, says staff Beach Grove staff also wrote to McNeilly with concerns about subpar shower facilities for patients on the facility's Harbour wing. They said the stall's flooring is not designed for a shower, so water leaks out into the common area — conditions that caused injury to one worker, who slipped on the wet floor. The workers wrote that the shower also doesn't have a temperature gauge, which is against provincial policy. McLane said he would visit the home to speak to staff about the issues, adding that there is money in the provincial budget for upgrades.
CBC
25-04-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Opposition pushing for 24-hour access to shelters as P.E.I. housing crisis drags on
Social Sharing There were questions in the P.E.I. legislature Thursday about the need for people who don't have housing to have 24-hour access to shelters across the Island. The topic was raised after a Liberal motion on the issue was defeated earlier in the week. Currently, Charlottetown has the Park Street Emergency Shelter, which is run by the province and operates seven days a week from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. People staying there must leave for the day, returning each night. In Summerside, a 10-bed emergency shelter at 25 Frank Mellish Dr. opened six months ago. The provincially operated facility is open seven days a week, from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. Opposition MLA Gord McNeilly asked about the level of government support for vulnerable Islanders, and the impact of limited shelter hours on them. "How do you expect someone to rebuild their life, find a job, attend appointments, manage their help when they're forced to carry every possession they have on their back and wander the streets for hours until beds open up again the next night?" McNeilly said in the legislature Thursday. In response, Barb Ramsay, P.E.I.'s minister of social development and seniors, noted that the Community Outreach Centre, adjacent to the Park Street shelter, is open during daytime and can offer support for people leaving the shelter during non-operating hours. "We can always do better, but I'm very pleased with where we are. We're going to continue to work towards making the most vulnerable Islanders as comfortable as we can," she said. Meanwhile in Summerside, Ramsay pointed out that there are two shelters in the city that are already open around the clock: the LifeHouse Transitional Housing and Emergency Shelter for women and the men's shelter on Winter Street. The overnight shelter on Frank Mellish Drive began operations last year. "We just opened the emergency shelter six months ago. We're getting there, but it takes a little bit of time and a lot of money. So it's hard to have it both ways, but we're doing the best we can and we're going to continue to do that," Ramsay said. 'We have a plan' In a further response to McNeilly, Premier Rob Lantz mentioned the province's housing-first approach to support people dealing with homelessness, focusing on transitional housing and supportive housing. It's part of the five-year plan the government announced last year to increase the housing supply in response to the ongoing accommodations crisis on P.E.I. Rents have increased sharply over the past several years and the vacancy rate remains below 1 per cent. "We have a plan to move forward to improve those services. The minister himself has talked about his housing-first model," Lantz said, referring to Housing Minister Steven Myers. "He is at this moment doing research on how to unroll that program and provide further services for the unhoused in Prince Edward Island." McNeilly then pointed to the 2024 Point in Time count conducted by the John Howard Society on P.E.I. showing the number of homeless people on the Island appears to have more than doubled in three years. "This is a disaster," the MLA said. "Housing First is six to seven years away at best. What are you following for people who need shelter tonight?" In response, Lantz said: "We do have a task force of community members and partners from all across the province, who meet on a monthly basis, who are devising a plan for moving forward to responding to the needs of Islanders with complex needs." "We'll continue to invest, but emergency services are just that; they are for emergency services. We have a long-term plan to house people in appropriate housing, so that they can move on with their lives with dignity."
CBC
17-04-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Islanders unhappy about changes preventing hiring of more child-care staff, MLA says
Prince Edward Islanders are still questioning immigration changes the provincial and federal governments have made that are affecting families' access to child-care spaces, according to the education critic for the provincial Liberals. Last year, the federal government announced it would reduce the cap on the number of people P.E.I. can nominate for permanent residency this year by half compared to 2023, taking the number down to 1,025. Then the province changed the criteria for its Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) to limit any new applications to people working in health care, construction and manufacturing. The program had previously accepted applications for the child-care sector. Before the changes, workers in the child-care sector were able to apply for a spot in the provincial program. Now, with more than 2,000 families waiting for access to child-care, they cannot. In the legislature Tuesday, Liberal education critic Gord McNeilly read portions of letters he's received from parents in support of early childhood educators (ECEs). "What do you say to health-care workers thinking of moving to Prince Edward Island only to learn there's no space for their children?" McNeilly asked P.E.I. Workforce Minister Jenn Redmond. "One doctor who has 1,600 patients stated, 'As you are aware, there is a dire shortage of professionals in the province. It is our ability to have our children attend daycare that [lets us] remain at work at full capacity.'" The letter was from a family doctor, whose partner is a speech pathologist. McNeilly said it was just one of the 28 letters he received along the same lines. In P.E.I., there are different levels of early childhood educators. At Level 2, applicants need a one-year certificate in early childhood care and education, while Level 3 applicants need to have completed a two-year post-secondary certificate program. McNeilly questioned why the government changed eligibility requirements for the permanent residency stream. "Instead of solving staffing shortages in our centres, this government is making things worse," he said. "Why did you change the immigration eligibility [for] child-care workers to only Level 3 early childhood educators, cutting off Level 2 child-care assistants from the PR stream?" Workforce Minister Jenn Redmond said the province will continue pick Level 3 workers for permanent residency consideration first. "The number of nominations have not changed," she said. "Those who have the education from Holland College, UPEI, Collège de l'Île will be drawn first and then we will continue to work through the levels." Although early childhood educators are no longer accepted under the AIP, the province said they remain a priority through the provincial nominee program. Here's how that works: Eligible workers can create a profile in the province's candidate pool, where they are awarded points based on factors such as age, language skills and work experience. We have all kinds of opportunities for ECEs that are in the system right now to upscale to Level 3 and we're breaking down the barriers and the red tape to do so. — Education and Early Years Minister Robin Croucher The P.E.I. Office of Immigration conducts regular draws from that pool, inviting selected candidates to apply for provincial nomination. If they're successful, applicants eventually receive a nomination, which helps them gain permanent residency. McNeilly said that argument "has no water," though. "The majority of people affected are Level 2s, minister. Why are you going to Level 3s? That makes zero sense," he said. "How do you explain to families in your own district that their child-care centres might downsize because of your poor policy and lack of a plan?" Robin Croucher, P.E.I.'s education minister, said the province's early years sector is "the envy of the country," given changes that have been made recently. "Our wage grid continues to be implemented, our ECEs are finally being compensated at a rate they deserve," Croucher said. "We want the best, and I will make no apologies for accepting only the best in our sector." McNeilly said the issue is about getting Islanders access to child care and retaining workers in the sector. "How do you defend your decision that actively makes it harder for people to stay and work in this province?" he asked. Croucher said strategic investments are being made in child care, with nearly 350 new spaces created in the last year and just over 750 more in development. On top of that, he said there are pathways set up for existing Level 2 ECEs to upgrade.
CBC
09-04-2025
- Health
- CBC
Province moving ahead with plan to add more long-term care beds, health minister says
P.E.I.'s health minister says the province is ready to move forward with a plan to expand long-term care beds on the Island. In the legislature Tuesday, Minister of Health and Wellness Mark McLane said a tender has been issued to add 50 new private long-term care beds. Such a commitment includes ensuring there's enough staff in a facility to provide care to the patient in that bed. McLane was answering Liberal MLA Gord McNeilly, who wanted to know the status of a previously cancelled tender for 175 private beds. That request for proposals was cancelled almost a year ago. "You had an RFP out for 175 beds that was cancelled. We're waiting for that to be reissued. Minister, where is the RFP for 175 long-term care beds?" McNeilly asked during question period. McLane responded: "We will post that RFP when the other 50-bed RFP closes. We don't want them out in the market at the same time. It will be posted the next day." The current tender for 50 beds is set to close on Thursday. McNeilly then asked for a timeline on when those beds might be available. McLane said that when the province added 50 beds last year, some opened within 30 to 60 days, but others required more time for capital improvements to facilities and certification to ensure they met the necessary long-term care specifications. "So each situation is different," he said. In the throne speech opening the spring session of the legislature two weeks ago, the Rob Lantz government said it would add and fund 50 more beds in public long-term care homes and 175 beds in private facilities. The issue affects more than just seniors waiting for a long-term care bed. During a hearing in February 2024, MLAs were told that 14 per cent of beds in Island hospitals were being occupied by patients waiting for long-term care, so other kinds of patients can't be admitted for hospital care. Concerns raised over placement policy McNeilly also raised concerns about the province's first-available-bed policy. It means that if a suitable bed is not available in a senior's first choice for a care home, that person will be asked to move to the first available bed anywhere in the system. If they decline that bed while waiting in hospital, the hospital may proceed with discharging them without a care bed in place. Home-care program raising concerns with P.E.I. union about health-care privatization, cost 6 days ago Duration 2:18 The P.E.I. Union of Public Sector Employees says a home-care program seems to be millions of dollars over budget. It provides seniors with funding for private support at home so that they can delay going into long-term care. But that's not sitting well with UPSE. CBC's Sheehan Desjardins explains. McNeilly said the policy is affecting Islanders, especially those in rural areas, where elderly couples are being separated and families are struggling to visit loved ones due to long travel distances. "That's cold, that's clinical and it's cruel. This government created the long-term care backlog, yet Island families are being punished and separated for your lack of planning," he said. The Liberal MLA called on the province to commit to reviewing the policy. In response, McLane said the policy is consistent with those of other provinces. He noted that seniors who have accepted an existing bed but want to move closer to their families will get preferential treatment when a local bed later becomes available. He also pointed to existing home care supports that allow seniors to stay in their own home longer and remain closer to family. One such support is the Self-Managed Care Program, which currently supports about 2,700 clients, compared to 4,500 last year. There is also the At Home Caregiver Benefit program, which provides financial assistance to Islanders needing a level of care that would otherwise require long-term care, allowing them to remain in their own homes and compensating their primary caregivers. The program is supporting about 300 families, the minister said. "We are supporting seniors in P.E.I., they want to stay at home... as long as possible, safely and with the support from both... those programs," McLane said.
