Williamson House Breaks Ground in Jarvis

After years of planning, fundraising and community support, construction is moving forward on Williamson House, a new 10-bed residential hospice being built in Jarvis to serve residents of Haldimand and Norfolk counties.

Norfolk Haldimand Community Hospice officially broke ground on the project on September 23, 2026, at the future hospice site on Nanticoke Creek Parkway. The milestone is particularly significant for Haldimand County: Williamson House is being built in Jarvis on 10 acres donated by a local family, and Haldimand County has committed $750,000 toward the project.

Once completed, Williamson House is expected to provide residential hospice care to more than 100 people each year, while approximately 200 additional people are expected to access grief and bereavement programming. The facility is also being designed to allow for future expansion as community needs grow.

For Haldimand families, it will mean something that has not previously been available locally: a dedicated residential hospice where people approaching the end of life can receive specialized care in a home-like environment while remaining closer to family, friends and their own community.

What is Williamson House?

Williamson House will be a centre for hospice palliative care operated by Norfolk Haldimand Community Hospice, a charitable organization founded in 2019.

The planned hospice will include 10 residential beds as well as amenities for patients and caregivers, workspace for healthcare professionals and volunteers, and space for hospice programming. Norfolk Haldimand Community Hospice describes its goal as providing team-based, holistic hospice palliative care for people with progressive life-limiting illnesses, along with support for their families and caregivers before and following a death.

Ontario defines palliative care as patient-centred care for people and families facing serious, life-limiting illness. It can include physician and nursing care, pain and symptom management, personal support, psychological and social services, spiritual care, bereavement support and assistance for caregivers.

Residential hospice provides another setting for that care outside a hospital or an individual’s home.

Why is Williamson House being built in Jarvis?

The location of Williamson House puts the hospice directly in Haldimand County while positioning it to serve residents from both Haldimand and Norfolk.

Norfolk Haldimand Community Hospice has said the Jarvis location, near Highways 3 and 6, provides access for families travelling from communities including Dunnville, Caledonia, Delhi and Port Rowan. The organization has described the site as a country-like setting that can serve families from across the two counties.

The site itself has strong Haldimand roots.

The Williamson family donated 10 acres of its family farm near Jarvis for the hospice. The property includes open and wooded areas, creating opportunities for outdoor spaces such as trails and places for patients and families to sit.

The family’s contribution eventually went well beyond the land.

In 2025, the Williamson family announced a further $1-million contribution toward construction. The family also made the former Williamson family home available as a base for Norfolk Haldimand Community Hospice services and administration while the permanent facility was being developed. The hospice was subsequently named Williamson House in recognition of the family’s contribution and the legacy of Norma and Drew Williamson.

Haldimand County commits $750,000 to Williamson House

Haldimand County Council unanimously approved a one-time $750,000 grant toward the hospice project in April 2026.

The funding is divided over two years, with $500,000 allocated for 2026 and $250,000 for 2027. The amount matches a $750,000 commitment made by Norfolk County.

The decision followed considerable discussion at Haldimand County Council.

County staff had initially raised concerns about municipal funding for the project because hospice and palliative care fall under provincial healthcare responsibilities rather than being a mandated municipal service. Staff also identified concerns about the potential precedent of using municipal funds for charitable organizations.

Council ultimately chose to support the project through a one-time grant.

The Haldimand contribution was made conditional on confirmation of full project funding and construction being underway. With shovels now officially in the ground, the project has reached a milestone that supporters had been working toward for years.

A project that has been years in the making

Norfolk Haldimand Community Hospice was founded in 2019 with the goal of expanding hospice palliative care for people living in the two counties.

Finding a permanent home for a residential hospice was a major part of that effort.

The possibility of locating the hospice in Jarvis dates back several years. In 2023, hospice representatives approached Haldimand County about obtaining County-owned property in the community.

A February 2024 Haldimand County staff memorandum shows that County staff investigated the suitability of municipal property, worked with the hospice organization on planning requirements and technical studies, and also examined a privately owned Jarvis property as another possibility. At that point, a final site had not yet been secured.

The private-land option eventually became the path forward following the Williamson family’s offer of property.

By late 2024, Norfolk Haldimand Community Hospice publicly announced plans for a 10-bed hospice on the donated land near Jarvis.

Two years later, the project has moved from plans and renderings to construction.

What Williamson House will mean for Haldimand County

The significance of the project goes beyond the fact that the building itself is located in Jarvis.

Norfolk Haldimand Community Hospice says the Haldimand-Norfolk area, with a combined population of nearly 125,000, has been the only area along the London-Hamilton-Niagara corridor without a dedicated hospice residence.

Without a residential hospice nearby, some Haldimand residents requiring end-of-life care have had to rely on care at home, in hospital or at hospice facilities outside the immediate community.

Williamson House is intended to add another option.

Rather than functioning simply as a place where someone spends their final days, the hospice model is intended to support the individual as well as the people around them. That can include symptom and pain management, emotional and spiritual support, caregiver support, grief services and bereavement programs.

For families in Jarvis, Hagersville, Dunnville, Caledonia, Cayuga and Haldimand’s rural communities, having that care available within the county could also reduce the distance involved in visiting and supporting a loved one receiving residential hospice care.

How many people will Williamson House serve?

Norfolk Haldimand Community Hospice estimates that the 10-bed facility will accommodate more than 100 hospice residents each year.

Another approximately 200 people annually are expected to participate in grief and bereavement programs.

Those services are not limited to the person receiving end-of-life care. The organization’s mandate includes families and caregivers, with support intended to extend from a person’s illness through death and bereavement.

The building is also being designed with future expansion in mind, allowing the hospice to potentially respond to increasing demand over time.

Community support helped bring Williamson House to this point

Williamson House has also become a significant community fundraising effort across Haldimand and Norfolk.

In addition to the Williamson family’s land and $1-million financial contribution, residents, organizations and businesses have supported the hospice through donations and fundraising initiatives.

By November 2025, reporting on the project indicated that the fundraising campaign had reached approximately $6 million. Fundraising efforts have included community events and campaigns such as Hike for Hospice, Blooms for a Cause, Light Up for Hospice and the Live Like Luke campaign.

Municipal support has since added $750,000 each from Haldimand and Norfolk counties.

The September 23 groundbreaking now marks a visible transition for the project. What began as an idea in 2019 and progressed through fundraising, site searches, planning and municipal discussions is becoming a physical hospice in Jarvis.

For Haldimand County, Williamson House represents both a major healthcare-related project being built within the community and a new local option for families facing some of the most difficult days of their lives.

Williamson House FAQ

Where is Williamson House being built?

Williamson House is being built on Nanticoke Creek Parkway near Jarvis in Haldimand County. The 10-acre site was donated by the Williamson family.

What is Williamson House?

Williamson House will be a residential hospice and centre for hospice palliative care operated by Norfolk Haldimand Community Hospice. It is intended to provide end-of-life care and support for people with life-limiting illnesses as well as their families and caregivers.

How many beds will Williamson House have?

Williamson House is planned as a 10-bed residential hospice. The facility is being designed so it can be expanded in the future.

Who will Williamson House serve?

The hospice is being developed to serve residents of both Haldimand County and Norfolk County. Its Jarvis location provides relatively central access from communities across the two counties, including Dunnville, Caledonia, Delhi and Port Rowan.

How many people are expected to use Williamson House?

Norfolk Haldimand Community Hospice expects the residence to accommodate more than 100 hospice residents annually, with approximately 200 additional people accessing grief and bereavement programming each year.

How much is Haldimand County contributing to Williamson House?

Haldimand County Council approved a one-time $750,000 grant in April 2026, with $500,000 allocated in 2026 and $250,000 in 2027. Norfolk County has committed the same amount.

When did construction of Williamson House begin?

Norfolk Haldimand Community Hospice held the official groundbreaking ceremony for Williamson House on September 23, 2026.

Why is it called Williamson House?

The hospice was named Williamson House in recognition of the Williamson family’s contributions to the project and the legacy of Norma and Drew Williamson. The family donated 10 acres for the hospice, provided a temporary home for hospice operations and later contributed $1 million toward construction.