About
We aim to transform health care and improve health system sustainability through a community-focused model that will enhance health and social outcomes. The Covenant Wellness Community (CWC) will empower people and families to live well by anchoring health and wellness services in the community to ensure timely access.
Our vision for better health care
Designed to address unmet needs, the CWC will invest in evidence-based services for seniors’ care, primary care and mental health care. This integrated services model will:
decrease unnecessary use of acute care
enable smoother transition of care between hospitals and the community
increase access to community-based care through innovative approaches
“It’s been a journey since 2015. Pre-COVID, we hosted engagement sessions to better understand what a true health and wellness centre could look like. We invited Mill Woods community leaders, such as the Mill Wood Presidents’ Council, Edmonton Public Library, Edmonton Police Services, SAGE Seniors Association, schools and others in the Mill Woods area to participate and share their voices. The vision for the wellness community came from them, from a desire to meet the needs of the community, and it goes beyond just emergent health concerns.”
Making the vision a reality
The Covenant Wellness Community (CWC) integrates health, social and community resources to achieve better, more sustainable health outcomes.
-
Our innovative partnerships and agreements draw on local assets and expertise, financing models and community resources for maximum economic and social benefits.
-
Designed around timely access and connections with primary care providers, the model supports early intervention and management to reduce emergency department visits and avert major health crises. Co-location of providers promotes care co-ordination, teamwork and problem-solving, easier navigation and smoother transitions in care.
This complete community approach will transform the way community health needs are met in southeast Edmonton and produce significant savings for the health system for decades to come.
-
Once fully built out, the CWC will support active, engaged lifestyles and aging in place. It will create the conditions for better health experiences and outcomes for all — especially those most at risk.
Location
The Covenant Wellness Community is located on 11.2 acres at 28 Avenue NW and Lakewood Road East NW in Edmonton, Alberta.
Just minutes from the Grey Nuns Community Hospital and Mill Woods Town Centre, the site is easy to reach, with convenient access to Mill Woods Transit Centre and the Valley LRT Line.
The development is also located close to a variety of amenities, including restaurants, shopping, various services, the Mill Woods Recreation Centre and parks.
Benefits
The Covenant Wellness Community offers a whole-community approach to support the health, wellbeing and quality of life for Albertans. The transformational model developed by the Covenant is a movement towards creating vibrant communities supporting health and healing in Alberta.
-
The Covenant Wellness Community will provide much-needed relief to the Grey Nuns Community Hospital emergency department. The project will prevent/avert a multimillion-dollar hospital expansion, increase system capacity and ensure the best use of hospital space.
Current challenges
Designed for 25,000 emergency visits annually, the hospital currently sees around 75,000 people. Approximately 25 per cent of these visits are semi-urgent or non-urgent and could be better addressed in the community.
The hospital serves a growing number of older adults and people with mental health concerns who are admitted in crisis and often stay in hospital for long periods before returning home or to continuing care.
Solution
Relocating outpatient clinics from the Grey Nuns hospital to the Community Health Centre (CHC) will free up hospital space to accommodate an expansion of the emergency department. The CHC will be home to medical and surgical clinics, outpatient mental health, diabetes education, cardiac rehabilitation and other services. It will also provide leased space for doctors’ offices, complementary medical services (diagnostic and laboratory) and other health and wellness supports.
Reduced pressure on emergency departents
Clinics, doctors’ offices, lab services and other health services under one roof
Space to expand Grey Nuns Community Hospital emergency department
-
The Covenant Wellness Community is reimagining seniors’ care to better serve older Albertans and empower them to remain healthy and active within their communities. It will bridge a healthcare gap for seniors who need support but not necessarily in a hospital or institutional setting.
This senior-centric model will create wellness communities that integrate features — such as access to transportation, healthy food and exercise sites — to help seniors stay independent and healthy.
Integrated Seniors’ Continuing Care Centre
The Integrated Seniors’ Continuing Care Centre will provide a continuum of care to allow residents to age in place, even as their care needs change. Care levels may include adult day support and/or respite care, restorative care, continuing care (based on the levels of care provided within the building) and palliative care.
The centre will also house a centre of excellence for seniors’ innovation, which will bring families, caregivers and technology providers together to spearhead innovation and research.
Multigenerational housing, including independent living and afforable housing
Broad range of world-class seniors’ care options
-
The project recognizes health services delivery as an economic driver and incorporates a multisectoral approach to capital development. It will provide vital services for Albertans while creating jobs and leveraging private expertise, making efficient use of limited taxpayer dollars.
This project will create over 600 construction jobs, with over half a million hours of labour needed to construct the Community Health Centre alone. It will also create more than 1,300 permanent jobs among health and wellness partners, retail services and housing.
600+ construction jobs created
1,300+ permanent jobs
-
Responsible and sustainable construction practices are a priority for the Covenant Wellness Community (CWC).
Recycling and repurposing
About 80 per cent of materials from the demolition of the MacEwan University Southeast Campus building formerly on the site will be recycled or repurposed for the development.
Sustainable practices and technology
The project incorporates modern sustainability practices and technologies, including sustainable landscaping and efficient mechanical and electrical systems, and will be able to integrate future sustainable technologies.
Sustainable transportation
The CWC is pedestrian and bike friendly and includes access to transit and electrical vehicle charging stations.
Effective infill, smart growth
LED lighting and lighting control systems
High-efficiency mechanical and electrical energy
-
Public-private partnership
The innovative project approach involves a joint venture with Rohit Group of Companies as our premier development partner.
Rohit Gupta and his team worked with the Covenant team to execute the vision of an urban community centred around wellness. Rohit Group is a collaborative partner, facilitating the design and development process, managing consultants and planning requirements, and ensuring constructability and value engineering.
Model for future health care
The Covenant Wellness Community is the first of its kind in Alberta and serves as a prototype for testing and evaluation to provide valuable insights for the development of future community healthcare models. The model is customizable, scalable and can be deployed in any community regardless of size, reducing the strain on existing healthcare infrastructure.
“The wellness community concept will be a wonderful addition to the city and I believe a model for future development. Linking an innovative new model of healthcare delivery into a complete mixed-use community is an exciting concept that we are very pleased to be part of. We can’t wait to see the development come to life from the plans we have been working on for a number of years.”
Partners
We are leading a multipartner program to develop the Covenant Wellness Community.
The Covenant family
One of Canada’s largest Catholic providers of a broad range of healthcare services in hospitals and healthcare centres across the province.
A major provider of supportive living, long-term care and hospice services in Alberta responding to the growing and changing needs of an aging population and offering innovative work and care environments where residents and care teams work, thrive and grow.
A private, not-for-profit organization providing housing options for seniors in warm, welcoming communities that support independence and active living.
Covenant Foundation proudly supports Covenant Health, Covenant Care and Covenant Living and their more than 155-year legacy of healing the body, enriching the mind and nurturing the soul by raising funds to help support leading-edge programs and services, research and education, and state-of-the-art equipment at 21 Covenant facilities across Alberta.
Development partner
Rohit Group of Companies is a diversified real estate company developing specialty residential and commercial projects across western Canada for over 35 years. Our dynamic and innovative team uniquely designs each project to deliver on our purpose of helping everyone feel better about where they live.
Leasing agent
Colliers is a leading global real estate services and investment management company. With operations in 68 countries, our 15,000 enterprising people work collaboratively to provide expert advice and services to maximize the value of property for real estate occupiers, owners and investors.
Funding
Using a public-private partnership with Rohit Group of Companies reduces the project’s reliance on additional government funding. This multisectoral approach will also channel medical retail revenue back into the wellness community to enhance services for patients, residents and families while maintaining low operational costs.
Healthcare delivery will be an anchor, drawing additional development and integrating complementary services, which will provide care to the community while generating revenue to subsidize facility operations.
We expect the project to cost $250 million in total. However, these numbers may shift as a result of post-pandemic economic challenges. The Community Health Centre will cost $121 million, with costs covered through medical, retail and residential revenue as well as operational savings.