Space for dozens of long-term care beds in northeast Calgary will soon be ready for Chinese-Canadian seniors.

The provincial government is providing $5 million for an expansion at the Wing Kei Greenview nursing home, and associate health minister Brandy Payne said the 78 new beds will go a long way toward meeting the needs of the community.

"We have many seniors that are waiting for long-term care, and we know that it's really important for people to be able to receive long-term care in culturally appropriate settings," she said.

Wing Kei board chair Vincent Leung said the facility provides services to clients in a way that's consistent with their culture, language and diet.

"We are able to serve them and they feel very at home," he said.

The expansion was made possible through the provincial grant and the organization's own fundraising, Leung said.

Construction is set to start next month and the doors are expected to open in 2018.

The provincial funding is part of $365 million the government has set aside with a goal of building 2,000 long-term care and dementia spaces across Alberta in the next four years.