Neguac special care home issued temporary operating licence, will remain open
The Department of Social Development has issued a temporary operating licence to a special care home in Neguac that was at risk of closing.
This will allow Villa Neguac, a 30-bed home in the northeastern New Brunswick village, to stay in operation until paperwork for the transfer of ownership is finalized, a department spokesperson said Tuesday.
Marc-André Vienneau, a nurse from Caraquet, recently entered an agreement to purchase Villa Neguac, which was scheduled to close on Feb. 17, along with the nearby special care home Foyer St. Bernard, after the department revoked their operating licences in mid-January to "protect the well-being" of the 29 residents.
"We are pleased to see these important services now being maintained in this region thanks to the temporary operating licence allocated to a new operator," Minister Dorothy Shephard said in a statement about Villa Neguac on Monday.
All statutory requirements and standards established under legislation were met before the temporary licence was issued, according to a news release issued by the department.
No word on future of Foyer Saint-Bernard
The owner of Foyer Saint-Bernard is "still considering options for the future of the facility," stated the news release.
Former residents of Foyer Saint-Bernard may request a placement at Villa Neguac in accordance with their level of needs and at the discretion of the operator.
Neguac Mayor Georges Savoie has said there should be enough room for them.
Villa Neguac residents have been allowed to remain in the facility, which Vienneau took over operation of on Feb. 1, pending the conclusion of the transfer of ownership.
The parties expect the transaction to close by June.
Vienneau, who also works as the director of nursing at Résidence Inkerman, a nursing home in Inkerman, has worked in long-term care since 2008, and has described it as "dear to [his] heart."
The Department of Social Development will continue to monitor the situation closely until the transfer of ownership is completed, the news release said.
No information about why the department abruptly revoked the operating licences of the two homes has been released, only that an investigation was conducted and "infractions" were found.
Food, electricity bills went unpaid, say staff
But according to former and current employees of the homes, and a Caraquet company, the homes weren't paying service providers in recent months, leading to food not being delivered, garbage not being taken out and worries that the electricity would be disconnected.
Dr. Amarjeet Singh Jatana was listed as the sole director of both homes on New Brunswick's corporate registry.
The allegations come against a backdrop of multiple lawsuits launched against Jatana, claiming he owes hundreds of thousands of dollars in connection with his other business ventures.
Jatana previously declined to be interviewed.
"The decision that leads to the closure of any long-term care facility is not taken lightly and is a last resort," the minister has said.
