Source: Trellis long-term care facility to be built on Shíshálh land in Wilson Creek

Facility next to sewage plant expected to be ready for operation within nineteen months of approval by Vancouver Coastal Health

By Margot Grant

The Trellis long-term care facility on the Sunshine Coast will be built on Shíshálh Nation land next to the sewage plant on the Stalashen property in Wilson Creek, says a source familiar with the plan.

When The Coast Clarion asked Chief Warren Paull of the Shíshálh Nation for confirmation this week, he did not deny it but said he could not answer the question.

According to the source, the only stumbling block was an upgrade to the sewer system at the location. Director of Public Works Peter Jmaeff said on Thursday that a new plant will be built, with much cleaner effluent. Completion of the project is scheduled for 2019.

Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) confirmed on Thursday that discussions are underway between the Shishalh Nation and Trellis Seniors Services for a location to build a 125-bed long-term care home on Sechelt lands.

“We’re pleased to be able to help identify a possible site for this much-needed long term care centre,” said  Paull. “We’re excited about potentially being a part of this project as the construction phase and operations of the facility itself offer many job opportunities for people who live on the Sunshine Coast.”

Sharing community concerns about the beds potentially moving away from Sechelt, the Shishalh Nation looked at ways it could assist and approached Trellis to explore options, a press release from VCH says.

“We know that there has been concern in the community about the many aspects of this project and how previous decisions were made and the Shishalh Nation coming forward demonstrates Sechelt’s commitment to improving residential care in the community,” said Health Minister Adrian Dix.

“I am also very pleased that the concerns of employees have been heard with Trellis committing that current staff will be brought on at the new facility,” he said. I have also made it clear to Vancouver Coastal Health that it is my expectation that this happens with the same wages and benefits that are provided to those staff now.”

Vancouver Coastal Health is working through an established labour process to ensure that VCH staff who transition to Trellis retain their union status and benefits, said VCH Coastal chief operating officer Karin Olson.  “We are moving forward to address the concerns about wages and jobs. Our staff, unions, and the community have made it clear this is crucial and we are committed to addressing those concerns.

“This new site option is a positive step toward providing the residential care beds on the Sunshine Coast we so desperately need to support seniors and reduce the pressure on our acute care system,” she said.

Vancouver Coastal health (VCH) and the for-profit company Trellis Senior Services signed an agreement in 2016 to build a 128-bed long-term care facility in Sechelt as a replacement for the aging Totem Lodge and Shorncliffe. The development agreement with VCH to build Silverstone in Sechelt was by Silverstone Care Centre Limited Partnership, represented by its general partner, Silverstone Care Centre Ltd.  Mary McDougall was listed as president, and Silverstone Care Centre Ltd. was incorporated on February 29, 2016, with Mary and Dan McDougall as sole directors.

The agreement stated that VCH would not be paying for the construction of the Sechelt facility; the main investor was Castle Seniors Properties Ltd., with Mary and Dan McDougall as sole directors. Trellis Senior Services Ltd. was the guarantor for the partnership.

Related: What is Trellis exactly, a corporate structure revealed

Last summer, Sechelt’s planning and community development committee decided to hold off on drafting zoning and Official Community Plan amendments for the Silverstone project after opposition from the community.

In July 2017, the Town of Gibsons stepped in; the council agreed to sell part of the Christenson property at 571 Shaw Road to Trellis for $2.24 million, and the new care home was scheduled to open in early 2019.

However, in October, Gibsons Mayor Wayne Rowe said Councillors Silas White and Jeremy Valeriote met with Health Minister Adrian Dix and got the impression that the government did not support the deal between the town and Trellis.

There was opposition to a for-profit care facility, and the proposed sale was controversial. In 1993, the town bought the land from Thor Christenson for $195,000 — reportedly less than half its value — with a covenant that it could only be used as “public park, public playground, community centre, public school, police station, library, community health facilities, not-for profit housing for seniors with a minimum of 10 per cent of the land to be dedicated for public park, or public road”.

In 1993, there were no for-profit health facilities, and Christenson’s family believes that Thor would not have wanted a for-profit care home on his land.

Mayor Rowe, who also has a law practice, confirmed to The Coast Clarion that he was involved in crafting the original restrictions in 1993 as the legal representative for Christenson.

Christenson’s family said Thor wanted to ensure the property “would not be flipped or developed for profit,” his nephew Bill Merilees told The Coast Clarion. “Thor’s wishes were stated very strongly. He put his faith in Wayne Rowe that this would not happen.”

A Gibsons resident lodged a complaint against Rowe with the Law Society of British Columbia, saying he acted against the clear wishes of his client. The Law Society responded that the Christenson family could obtain legal advice if it wanted to pursue the matter in court. Thor and Mildred Christenson had no children, and the surviving nieces and nephews decided not take legal action, citing personal reasons.