(Town of Watson)

By Cam Lee

RFP for Watson long-term care home

Government of Saskatchewan issues RFP for long-term care home in Watson

Jan 19, 2026 | 11:53 AM

The provincial government has announced a Request for Proposal (RFP) to design, build, maintain, and operate new long-term care homes in Watson and Estevan.

The new home in Watson will offer 60 long-term beds, while the community’s Quill Plains Centennial Lodge is currently home to 52 long-term care residents.

The RFP includes replacement of the attached health centre, which will continue to be operated by the Saskatchewan Health Authority through a lease back of the space when it is finished.

“When we started discussing the replacement of our long-term care facility, we were alarmed by the estimated costs to our communities and the Saskatchewan taxpayers,” Quill Plains Health Care Foundation Chair Norma Webber said. “A huge thank you to our health ministers for hearing us out and working together on an alternative way to build a new home without compromising quality of life and care for our residents. We look forward to this partnership moving forward.”

Seniors and Rural and Remote Health Minister Lori Carr said the government is committed to providing the best health care for the province’s seniors and safe, comfortable homes for people needing long-term care.

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“The third-party approach will be the most efficient and cost-effective option and is expected to expedite delivery of both Watson and Estevan long-term care home projects,” Carr said.

The new long-term care home in Estevan will provide 65 more beds than the existing Estevan Regional Nursing Home, for a total of 135 long-term care beds.

The government news release stated that Saskatchewan has a long history of strong partnerships with third party providers for the delivery of health care services.

“[T]here are long-term care centres across the province operating under similar partnership models,” the release said. “The Watson and Estevan long-term care homes will be owned and operated by the third parties but will be required to follow all Saskatchewan regulations and standards.”

A contract for each facility is expected to be in place by the summer.

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cam.lee@pattisonmedia.com