Several hundred people gathered June 23 to celebrate the grand opening of Tsi Thonwatíhsnye Elder Care Home, a 128-bed long-term care home serving both Indigenous and non-Indigenous residents in the heart of Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, just minutes from Belleville.

“Today marks the realization of a milestone accomplishment for our community,” said Chief R. Donald Maracle of the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte. “In the past, local elders had to leave their homes to receive care from strangers.”

Tsi Thonwatíhsnye means “where they take care of them (support them)” in Kanyen’kehá (Mohawk).

What makes the home truly special is its commitment to First Nations culture and community identity. From traditional foods and ceremonies to language and cultural activities, daily life at Tsi Thonwatíhsnye will honour the teachings and heritage of the Mohawk people.

Culture, care, and community are woven into every aspect of the home. At the heart of the building, a welcoming central atrium provides access to therapy and recreation rooms, a spiritual space, and bright gathering areas for families and cultural programming. Outside, residents can enjoy secure gardens and walking paths designed to encourage connection with nature, storytelling, and ceremony.

Chief Maracle said a 1992 survey of territory residents identified a local long-term care home as a priority. Bringing that vision to reality, however, took decades of advocacy, collaboration, and perseverance.

“Nothing good can happen unless there’s advocacy and co-operation,” he said.

The project received support from multiple levels of government. Federal officials, including former Hastings-Lennox and Addington MP Mike Bossio and cabinet minister Marc Miller, were involved, while both Progressive Conservative and Liberal governments at the provincial level also played a role. The Ontario government under Premier Doug Ford prioritized the project and committed operational funding, while the federal government contributed millions of dollars in capital funding.

Local CARP Greater Bay of Quinte Chapter 39 chair Louise Warr attended the opening ceremony.

“CARP is a national, non-partisan, non-profit association of hundreds of thousands of members, with a community of local chapters from coast to coast representing Canada’s most powerful generation of engaged citizens who believe in taking action and aren’t shy about exercising influence on public policy, including long-term care advocacy,” says Warr.

“The grand opening of the new Elder Care Home was a super event, and we are so pleased to see how all levels of government worked together to make this a reality that was more than 10 years in the making.”

Warr says CARP continues to advocate for stronger support for Canadians who want to remain in their own homes for as long as possible.

“CARP continues to call on all levels of government to better support Canadians living in their homes for longer. A better funded and functioning home and community care system would enable Canadians to age at home with dignity and alleviate pressure on the long-term care system.”

CARP also supports a transformative culture change in long-term care—from institutional, task-based care to relationship-centred, emotion-based care.

“Long-term care in the form of small, homelike environments should protect dignity every day—not just in policy, but in practice. Dignity is a human need that means having choices, being listened to, being treated with respect, and maintaining a sense of self.

“It is wonderful to see how the heart of this new home in Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory reflects this transformative culture change CARP has been advocating for, to give our elders the dignity they deserve.”

To learn more about Tsi Thonwatíhsnye Elder Care Home, visit the home’s website.