By Rajitha Sivakumaran
L
ate July of this year marked the official
opening of the Cochrane Retirement
Living Complex by the Cochrane Dis-
trict Social Services Administration Board
(CDSSAB). Courtesy of the CDSSAB, the
town of Cochrane and CGV Builders, this
29,300-square-foot facility offers seniors
independent, affordable living in a nurtur-
ing and social environment.
The story behind the building is a tale of a
communal need, untapped markets, defi-
cient funds and government-corporate col-
laboration.
Located in Northeastern Ontario, the Co-
chrane District occupies about 14 per cent
of the province’s landmass. Approximately
85,000 residents live in the area adjacent
to the Quebec border and James Bay.
Nearly half the population is Francophone,
but there is a large and growing Indige-
nous population as well. The average age
in the Cochrane District is slightly over the
provincial average (42 years), making it a
population that is aging at a quicker pace
90 business elite canada
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DECEMBER 2016
