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The province’s seniors would receive 3,500 new long-term care beds and a separate government ministry under an Alberta Party government, leader Stephen Mandel said Friday.

The new beds would initially cost $230 million and another $260 million to operate annually, said Mandel, adding the province’s seniors deserve nothing less.

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“We should make sure they don’t grovel when they need help. . . The people who built this province need to be treated like they’re my parents or grandparents,” he said.

“We’re going to need thousands more than this in the coming years.”

Earlier in the election campaign, the NDP promised to deliver 2,000 new long-term care beds at a cost of $270 million.

The UCP said it would also create new long-term care spaces, but their online platform doesn’t provide numbers.

Mandel said his government would also create a separate seniors’ ministry that would assume the authority and budget of the current seniors’ and housing ministry.