News

The Board once again had the privilege to coordinate and sell ice cream to 100’s of community folks during the 2023 Fort Vermilion AG Fair during the weekend of August 12th. We thank those who stopped by for a cold treat with all donations going towards the dire need of a Seniors and Elders supportive living facility in Fort Vermilion for the Region’s most vulnerable. We also deeply thank those who volunteered serving the ice cream as we couldn’t do it without you! We continue to ask for your support and advocacy by connecting with one or two people in…

In 2023, the Board collaborated with a research company to complete a Northern Alberta Supportive Living Needs Assessment, revealing a growing gap between available healthcare services and supportive living beds in the region. Even with the construction of the High Level facility, the situation in the north has reached a critical point. The Needs Assessment findings were shared with dedicated supporters during a community supper on July 17, 2023. To address this urgency, the Board is asking Mackenzie Region residents and all levels of government to actively advocate and partner on a facility in Fort Vermilion to provide essential care to seniors…

Monday July 17, 2023 the FVASELB1788 will be hosting an Information Update Meeting at the Fort Vermilion Community Complex. Please join us to learn latest development in our efforts to establish the Fort Vermilion and Area Seniors’ and Elders’ Lodge. Please join us in person at the Fort Vermilion Community Complex starting with a Beef On A Bun Supper at 6:30pm (Doors open at 5:30pm) and the information session will start at 7:30pm.

  Thursday November 15, 2022 the FVASELB1788 will be hosting its 8th AGM at the Fort Vermilion Seniors’ Centre. Please join us to show continuous support to establish the Fort Vermilion and Area Seniors’ and Elders’ Lodge. You can join us in person at the Seniors’ Centre or online via Zoom. (See poster for details)

In April of 2016 folks from the Mackenzie Region elected the first directors of the Lodge Board. The newly formed Board was provided a mandate to pursue the initial planning stages of the vision of creating a designated supportive living seniors centre in Fort Vermilion. Over the past six years your Lodge Board has done just that through building relationships with various government officials, sector professionals, first nation communities, Metis, local health officials, the region’s housing board and municipalities.  One of our key relationships rests with the Rural Development Network of whom the Board hired to complete a feasibility study with a Northern Metrics component.…

After a two year hiatus due to provincial health restrictions, the Lodge Board hosted an Ice Cream stand at the 2022 Mackenzie County Ag Fair in Fort Vermilion. It was a hot and rewarding few days as we served several hundred people making all aware that the pursuit of a designated supportive living seniors lodge is far from over. The Board would like to extend its deepest thanks to the 18 people who volunteered in various roles to make the weekend a huge success.

Please Note: Due to unforeseen circumstances the AGM is postponed until Wednesday Nov 24, 2021 Thursday November 18, 2020 the FVASELB1788 will be hosting its 7th AGM at the Fort Vermilion Seniors’ Centre. Please join us to show continuous support to establish the Fort Vermilion and Area Seniors’ and Elders’ Lodge. You can join us in person at the Seniors’ Centre or online via Zoom. (See poster for details)

On Friday July 23 members of the board helped out the Fort Vermilion Seniors Club with their 2021 Annual BBQ for their members. A great time was had by all.

AGM 2020 Poster Tuesday November 24, 2020 the FVASELB1788 hosted its 6th AGM at the Fort Vermilion Community Complex. About 70 community members came for the meeting enjoying some goodies.  The Board would like to again expressed it’s gratitude to those who make evenings like this possible through their serving hands as we all unite under the vision of caring for our most vulnerable .

Tuesday November 19, 2019 the FVASELB1788 hosted it’s 5th AGM at the Fort Vermilion Community Complex. Nearly 70 community members came for the meeting enjoying beef on a bun with a seven-layer salad. The Board would like to again expressed it’s gratitude to those who make evenings like this possible through their serving hands as we all unite under the vision of caring for our most vulnerable .

April 8, 2019: Fort Vermilion School Division #52 Superintendent Mike McMann & FVASELB1788 Chairman Jeff Anderson spend an evening with the community outlining a newly formed partnership. “We Are in talks with the Fort Vermilion School Division who have talked with Holy Family Catholic School Division about combining the two schools in Fort Vermilion. This would allow the potential to acquire St. Mary’s elementary school after a full public consultation takes place with parents in the community.”

The 2018 AGM had 60 people enjoy an evening of fellowship with 48 folks renewing their membership with some being new members. The beef on a bun was absolutely delicious and a huge thank you to all of you who fed and looked after us this evening! In his Chairman’s Annual Report, Jeff Anderson encouraged everyone to persevere and remain vigilant to our old story of providing the right care to our seniors & elders.

On June 5, 2018 FVASELB1788 was invited by the House of Commons Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs to give a presentation on our Lodge project. We were able to send two delegates to Ottawa along with Chief Rupert Meneen and Board Chairman Jeff Anderson joining via network link in the Health Care Centre at North Tallcree.

FVASELB1788 fired up the BBQ at the 2018 Seniors Week Annual BBQ. Steak was delicious and the fellowship was warm and inviting. All had a great time!

FVASELB1788 sporting their new banner attended the 2018 MARA Ag Fair in Fort Vermilion raising awareness of the culturally inclusive seniors & elders facility and to fund raise via selling ice cream. Another successful event with MLA Debbie Jabbour and Al Toews paying us a visit to show their continued support.

FVASELB1788 joined forces with the River Road Trading Post who are your two Boards working hard to build a culturally inclusive seniors & elders facility. This time the two Boards joined at the 2018 Annual FV Get to Know You Night.

The Fort Vermilion & Area Seniors & Elders Lodge Board 1788 and their registered membership would like to thank all who supported and attended our “I Support Seniors and Elders Care” 2018 fund raiser. The evening was a huge success with 150 people attending and over $28,000.00 generously donated towards the goal of building a culturally inclusive Designated Supportive Living home in Fort Vermilion. This event would not have been what it was without a variety of bakers throughout the region and the Native Women’s Association donating their culinary expertise where we saw 41 home made pies auctioned by community…

Our AGM held on November 22, 2017 was a huge success! Over 40 people turned out and took membership or renewed an already existing one. All of us enjoyed a beautiful stew prepared by Lily Paul and bannock prepared by Debbie Lizotte with Vera Ward, Margaret Dyck helping with the food. Thank you ladies it was amazing! Just over $1400.00 was raised through memberships and donations to creating a culturally inclusive Designated Supportive Living facility in Fort Vermilion for our seniors and elders. Due to Board appointments throughout the year and terms being up; elections were held for six…

FVASELB1788 invited to give a presentation at North Peace Tribal Council’s 2017 Annual General Assembly. The presentation was well received with MLA Jabbour, High Level’s Mayor McAteer and regional staff from Indian and Northern Affairs Canada in attendance. Some of the highlights included a beautiful testimony from Elder Martel sharing her story and the story of a close friend who could not attend the event and the need for a culturally inclusive care facility in Fort Vermilion; and Board Director Kevin meeting up with an old friend who is now a professional ceremonial dancer!

On October 18 and 19 Grand Chief Meneen-Treaty 8, Board Chairman Jeff Anderson, Board researcher Natalie Gibson and diplomacy expert Reagh Burgess met with senior officials from Economic & Social Development Canada, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada and Health Canada over these two days. It was amazing how these experienced people in Canada’s capital city 4,000km’s from our home received the news of our culturally inclusive DSL facility! The whole group left Ottawa encouraged that the Federal level departments we engaged and told our story to are going to come behind us and continue to move it forward! This is…

On October 5, 2017 your Board and Grand Chief Meneen presented our Culturally inclusive Designated Assisted Living facility to Minister Feehan, Indigenous Relations; Minister Sigurdson, Seniors and Housing; MLA Debbie Jabbour and Senior Officials from Alberta Health. It was a great meeting in Alberta’s legislature building with our project being well received and very interested in what we are doing!

Board members from the River Road Trading Post and our Board set up a booth at Fort Vermilion’s Get to Know U Nite. Many conversations and laughs were had bringing the work of the Board to the people. Fund raising was a success with $470.00 dollars raised through a silent auction and private donations. We thank all of you who are supporting this initiative through your conversations, leg work, donations and just the friendly smiles that are always encouraging.

Today we published a press release as follows: Press Release Sept. 11, 2017 New Study Shows No Action taken on Government Report Seniors and Elders waiting two years or more for care beds Ft. Vermilion, AB – It’s been three years since the Mackenzie Regional Housing Needs Assessment proved it is time to start building the up to 200 beds care beds needed by 2031. Since 2014, only four additional care beds have opened. All Designated Supportive Living (DSL) facilities in the area are 100 per cent full and there is a two-year wait list. The Fort Vermilion and Area…

The Board is actively seeking collaboration with governments and key leaders. The Board has or will be meeting with North Peace Tribal Council (NPTC), Mackenzie County, the Provincial government, Alberta Health Services, Boreal Housing Foundation and the federal government and various other key opinion leaders to discuss the opportunities for a culturally inclusive DSL facility in Fort Vermilion area. We are looking for new models, public private partners partnerships and collaborative leaders that will further strengthen our ability to make the facility a reality and provide more local care for our aging seniors and elders.

Members of the FVASELB1788 rolled up their sleeves and honored our seniors during a Seniors Week supper at the Fort Vermilion Seniors Centre. This is the second year that Board members have enjoyed helping with preparing food/deserts and BBQ-n the steaks with Board Chairman, Jeff Anderson giving a quick update of where the Board is at with the planning phase of the DAL facility. All had a great time!

There continues to be an unmet need for seniors’ and elders’ care beds in the Mackenzie region, especially when considering the needs of the Indigenous population – one of Canada’s fastest growing demographics. The FVASELB1788 hired a researcher to ‘refresh’ numbers from a 2014 housing report that showed more care beds are needed now and into the future. The data shows there is a current need and a growing need in the future for more care beds in the Mackenzie region.

Approximately 60-plus community members in the hamlet of Fort Vermilion voted to create a board with a mandate to research the options for building a DSL facility. The community member’s vision is to incorporate indigenous healing standards as well as other local cultures in a way that contributes to all levels of health (spiritual, physical, emotional and mental). The Board – the Fort Vermilion & Area Seniors & Elders Lodge Board 1788 (‘FVASELB1788’) has structured itself with nine members from the region and four members who are appointed by each represented First Nation- Dene Tha’, Tall Cree, Beaver First Nation…

Boreal Housing Foundation and Mackenzie County have endorsed the DSL in principal. Land has been donated by Alberta Health Services, Tallcree Tribal Government and a private citizen and formal fundraising for a DSL facility is underway. As of July 2017 over $85,000 has been raised.

Municipal Affairs partnered with Mackenzie County and the towns of High Level and Rainbow Lake to conduct a regional housing needs assessment study. The government allocated $100,000 to complete a comprehensive review of all current housing needs and projected needs up to 2031. The Mackenzie Regional Housing Needs Assessment (‘MRHNA’) clearly states there is an existing and projected need for an additional 117-200 senior’s care beds between 2014 and 2031 in the region. In 2014, the MHRNA report indicated “approximately eight to 13 assisted living beds/units are currently needed in Fort Vermilion. By 2031, there will be a need for…

There is unmet need for seniors’ and elders’ care beds in the Mackenzie region. The waitlists for senior’s care is forcing residents to seek care in other areas, away from family and friends. For over 10 years, the hamlet of Fort Vermilion has actively advocated for a seniors’ and elders’ Designated Seniors Living (DSL) care facility in the Fort Vermilion area.