Ontario Taking Action to Immediately Increase Staffing in LTC, Leading to More Direct Care for Residents in Pickering-Uxbridge

 Pickering, ON — The Ontario government will provide up to $270 million this year to long-term care homes across the province to increase staffing levels, leading to more direct care for residents. This includes $1,431,984 for long-term care homes in Pickering-Uxbridge. This is part of the province’s commitment to ensure long-term care residents receive—on average—four hours of direct care per day by 2024-25. It was also announced that as part of the government’s plan to fix long-term care, it will bring forward legislation that will enshrine its commitment to four hours of care into law. 

These funds will increase care for residents at: 

  • Bay Ridges, in Pickering, will receive up to $441,710 for additional staffing this year to increase the hours of direct care for residents. By the year 2024-2025, the home will receive $2,705,388 annually more than their current funding. 
  • Reachview Village, in Uxbridge, will receive up to $231,539 for additional staffing this year to increase the hours of direct care for residents. By the year 2024- 2025, the home will receive $1,418,148 annually more than their current funding.
  • Orchard Villa, in Pickering, will receive up to $758,736 for additional staffing this year to increase the hours of direct care for residents. By the year 2024-2025, the home will receive $4,647,168 annually more than their current funding.

“This funding will allow homes in our community to hire and retain more staff so they can provide more care to residents, every day,” said Peter Bethlenfalvy, MPP for Pickering- Uxbridge. “This is part of our government’s plan to hire thousands of new staff to ensure those living in long-term care get the high-quality care they need and deserve.” 

“We know that more qualified staff means more daily care for residents,” said Rod Phillips, Minister of Long-Term Care. “Hiring more staff is part of our government’s plan to fix long-term care and to improve the quality of care residents receive and the quality of life they experience.” 

Currently, residents receive an average of two hours and 45 minutes of direct care from nurses and personal support workers. This funding will increase the daily average to 3 hours, per resident per day by the end of this fiscal year. This funding also includes $42.8M to homes to increase care by allied health care professionals (such as physiotherapists and social workers) by 10% this year. 

The government is investing $4.9 billion over four years to boost direct resident care to an average of four hours daily by increasing care staff by more than 27,000 people. 

Hiring thousands of new staff at long-term homes and increasing the amount of care they deliver each year will be made possible by annual funding increases to homes: 

  • $270 million in 2021-22 
  • $673 million in 2022-23
  • $1.25 billion in 2023-24
  • $1.82 billion in 2024-25

Today, homes will also be receiving provisional allocations for the additional funding out to 2024-25 to assist them in planning future staffing needs to meet the new care requirements. 

The continuation of a $10 million annual fund to support ongoing professional development opportunities in long-term care, through the Supporting Professional Growth Fund was also announced. This $10 million annual investment was first announced last summer. The fund will support training opportunities for long-term care staff to help them stay current on best practices in their field. 

QUICK FACTS 

  • Learn more about Ontario’s Long-Term Care Staffing Plan. 
  • Through initiatives like the Supporting Professional Growth Fund, the government is working with partners to improve staff retention by highlighting long-term care as a career destination with rewarding opportunities for continuous learning and development.
  • The Ontario government has established the Staffing Supply Accelerator Group to support the objectives of the long-term care staffing plan. The group includes participation from major stakeholders and champions the innovation, expansion and acceleration of education and training opportunities to help meet the demand for long-term care staff.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES 

 


MEDIA CONTACT 

Vanessa De Matteis Office of the Minister of Long-Term Care 

Vanessa.DeMatteis@ontario.ca