The provincial government has taken control of a personal care home in south Winnipeg, marking the first time since taking power in 2023 that it has used expropriation within the health-care system to secure a facility.

The provincial government said it tried to negotiate with the owners to acquire the facility but couldn’t come to an agreement. It then chose to expropriate the facility.

“The precedent for this decision is clear: we will not leave seniors without a home, Manitoba health-care workers without jobs, or allow publicly funded personal care home beds to disappear at a time when demand for long-term care is high across the province,” said a spokesperson for Uzoma Asagwara, minister of health, seniors and long-term care.

“That outcome was unacceptable,” reads the statement to CTV News.