Ontario Supporting Long-Term Care Residents with Complex Needs

The Ontario government is investing $35 million to help long-term care homes across the province support residents with complex needs. The Local Priorities Fund (LPF) is designed to support programs that connect people with the right care for them, reducing emergency department visits and hospital stays. This investment is part of the government’s plan to protect Ontario by ensuring long-term care residents get the quality of care and quality of life they need and deserve.

“Our government is protecting our long-term care system by investing in the tools and training to ensure residents can get the right care in the right place,” said Natalia Kusendova-Bashta, Minister of Long-Term Care. “This funding will expand the specialized equipment and innovative services available at long-term care homes across our province, so those with complex needs get the support they deserve.”

Originally launched in 2022, the LPF provides specialized equipment, services and staff training to enable long-term care homes to admit new residents with specialized needs and support current residents with complex needs. Since its launch, the fund has supported approximately 2,500 projects across Ontario.

In 2024-25, the LPF supported more than 900 projects including:

• 139 projects in northern Ontario, with a $9.5 million investment, to support residents with specialized needs including complex dementia, mobility issues and cardiovascular conditions, and improve their care.
• In the Greater Toronto Area, Women’s College Hospital and the Centre for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety are receiving $1 million to coordinate with Toronto hospitals and long-term care homes on the prevention of avoidable emergency department visits.
• In eastern Ontario, the government is investing $500,000 to purchase bariatric equipment across 30 long-term care homes. The equipment will reduce barriers to admission for residents with weight management needs and help the staff provide high-quality care.

Helping long-term care residents with complex needs is one more way the province is taking action to meet the needs of Ontario’s aging population and their caregivers by improving and expanding supports for seniors living in long-term care, congregate settings and in the community. The government’s plan to improve long-term care for residents is built on four pillars: staffing and care; quality and enforcement; building modern, safe, and comfortable homes; and connecting seniors with faster, more convenient access to the services they need.

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