Toronto seniors welcome new affordable assisted living community


Seniors in Canada’s most populous city have a new low-income residential community. As reported recently in the Jewish Tribune newspaper, construction on a new Toronto assisted living community, specifically geared towards lower-income individuals, has been completed, and will soon be home to hundreds of seniors.

Called 485 Patricia Senior Living Centre, after the street on which it is located, the community features 237 separate units, plus a social hall, chapel, library, and a Sabbath elevator, and will soon offer a variety of social, cultural, educational and religious programming for its residents.

Funding for the project was provided from donations as well as from federal, provincial and municipal government funds totaling nearly $30 million.

And just because 485 Patricia is aimed at low-income seniors doesn’t mean the building isn’t beautiful, residents told the newspaper.

“It’s a gorgeous building,” 78 year-old Hungarian-born resident Otto Friedman said. “I am just totally amazed: it’s awesome, just wonderful.”

At a recent ribbon-cutting ceremony for the community, special guests in attendance included local politicians, community leaders, as well as residents and family members.

The new assisted living community is built beside a school and is located in central Toronto, near shops, parks, restaurants and public transit.