Planning for the redevelopment of Kipling Acres has progressed steadily throughout the year and the design process is nearing completion.  This planning has been a highly collaborative process as the City of Toronto values community engagement in its decision‑making process.  Further, meaningful community engagement has been an important and valued component of planning and development work that the Long-Term Care Homes and Services Division (LTCHS) had led in the past.  For this reason, LTCHS found it very important to establish a Community Reference Group to provide community input and guidance in the redevelopment planning, for both the approved phase 1 (192‑bed long-term care home) and the proposed phase 2 (campus of care components).  The first meeting of the Community Reference Group was held in December 2009 and the group has been meeting monthly since then.

In addition to the Community Reference Group, the home has hosted regular meetings with three (3) distinct groups of neighbours, namely (i) Genthorn Avenue; (ii) Hinton Road; (iii) West Acres Seniors’ Club.  The home also hosted a community consultation meeting with the Councillor Rob Ford (Ward 2) who is now Mayor Elect.

As committed at the September meeting of the Advisory Committee on Long-Term Care Homes and Services, this report provides an update on the process, progress and current status of the planning for redevelopment of Kipling Acres.

Each home within the Long-Term Care Homes and Services Division has an active, involved, engaged and vocal Residents' Council.  To further support and empower Residents' Councils, in 2007 the division established a process of hosting an annual Residents' Councils Summit, bringing together delegates from each of the Residents' Councils for a half-day of learning, information sharing and networking.  The 4th annual Residents' Councils Summit was held at Bendale Acres on September 24, 2010.

This report provides a high‑level overview of the proceedings of the 4th annual Residents' Councils Summit.