Queen’s Park chipping in $270 million to increase staff at long-term care homes – Whitby to get nearly $1.4 million share

The Ontario government is throwing an extra $270 million this year to bump up staffing levels at the province’s hard-hit long-term care homes.

Whitby health care facilities will get their share of the funding, with Fairview Lodge receiving $705,308 for additional staffing this year to increase the hours of direct care for residents. By the year 2024-2025, the home will receive $4,319,892 annually over and above their current funding.

Lakeridge Health will receive up to $242,225 for additional staffing this year and the Village of Taunton Mills will receive up to $427,462.

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

Whitby MPP Lorne Coe said the funding is part of the commitment to ensure long-term care residents receive – on average – four hours of direct care per day by 2024-25.

The Province also announced it will bring forward legislation that will enshrine its commitment to four hours of care into law.

“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 MPP Lorne Coe. “This is part of our government’s plan to hire thousands of new staff over the next four years to ensure those living in long-term care get the high-quality care they need and deserve.”

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 three 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 per cent this year.

The government is investing $4.9 billion over four years – including $673 million next year, $1.25 billion in 2023-24 and $1.82 billion in 2024-25 – to boost direct resident care by increasing care staff by more than 27,000 people.