Fire destroys B.C. long-term care project under construction
A three-alarm blaze in Penticton gutted a 200-bed facility, forcing evacuations and resetting regional senior housing plans.
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A massive fire at a long-term care facility under construction in Penticton has left the region facing another setback in senior housing capacity. The blaze at 453 Green Avenue was reported around 10 p.m. Wednesday, quickly escalating into a three-alarm fire that drew 60 firefighters and forced evacuations of 16 nearby homes.
The Skaha Seniors Community, a partnership between the B.C. government and Kaigo Senior Living, was about six months into construction when the fire destroyed the three-storey wood-frame structure. The 200-bed facility had been expected to open in 2028.
Health Minister Josie Osborne called the destruction "devastating" to seniors in the region, signalling the province will "come back with a sense of urgency" to rebuild. The unstable crane left at the site hampered firefighting efforts, and officials said Thursday morning that crews were still assessing damage while the fire remained active in several areas.
The loss compounds B.C.'s long-term care shortage. In April, the province cancelled construction on five projects, including facilities in Delta, Abbotsford, Chilliwack, and Kelowna. According to the B.C. Seniors Advocate, the province needs 16,000 additional long-term care beds over the next decade but has no plan to meet that demand.
Kaigo Senior Living has filed an insurance claim, though the value remains unclear. Infrastructure Minister Bowinn Ma said the government will work with the builder to understand how the fire affects the timeline.