Ontario announces $1.25B for LTC staffing for next year

Ontario’s long-term care minister says the province is giving $1.25 billion in the next fiscal year to homes for hiring and staff retention.

The province has committed to ensuring long-term care residents receive, on average, four hours of direct care per day by March 31, 2025.

The money announced today is for the third of a four-year, $4.9-billion commitment to hire and retain more than 27,000 registered nurses, registered practical nurses and personal support workers.

Long-Term Care Minister Paul Calandra says hiring more staff will allow residents to connect to the care they need in the comfort of their long-term care home.

Direct care includes personal care, such as help with dining, bathing and dressing, as well as helping residents move and providing medication.

The government says the province met its interim target of three hours of care in 2021-22, but can’t say yet if the target for this year will be met, as there are still two weeks left in this fiscal year.

2:14
Ontario facing health care funding shortfall: FAO