Ontario Making Historic Investment to Modernize Long-Term Care

Funding will ensure seniors get the safe and modern living spaces they deserve

The Ontario government is investing $933 million in 80 new long-term care projects, which will lead to thousands of additional new and upgraded long-term care spaces across the province. Today’s announcement moves the government a step closer to fulfilling its commitment to add 30,000 much-needed long-term care spaces over ten years.

“From the beginning of this pandemic, our Government has made it clear that we will do whatever it takes to protect our long-term care residents,” said Premier Doug Ford. “These historic investments will provide our seniors with the safe and modern living spaces they deserve, after decades of neglect and underinvestment by previous governments.”

In addition to modernizing the long-term care sector, these projects will add 7,510 new spaces and upgrade 4,197 spaces, helping to reduce waitlists and end hallway medicine. This investment also supports key government priorities, including providing new spaces for Indigenous, Francophone and other cultural community residents.

“Our most vulnerable deserve the support they need when they need it in a setting that provides comfort and caring,” said Dr. Merrilee Fullerton, Minister of Long-Term Care. “Today’s investment is part of the government’s comprehensive plan to modernize long-term care for generations to come. It will increase access to long-term care, reduce waitlists, and ease hospital capacity pressures.”

“While COVID-19 threatens us all, it is the residents and staff in our long-term care homes who have suffered the most,” said Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance and President of the Treasury Board. “Ontario’s 2021 Budget will build on our commitment to protect our seniors and provide the highest quality of care for loved ones when and where they need it. That includes the creation of new and upgraded long-term care spaces. These most recent allocations will result in a development pipeline of 20,161 new spaces — representing more than two thirds of the government’s commitment to build 30,000 new beds by 2028 — as well as 15,918 upgraded spaces.”

Criteria for selecting the projects being announced today included:

Upgrading older homes in response to lessons learned around improved Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) measures, particularly the elimination of three and four-bed rooms;
Adding spaces to areas where there is high need;
Addressing the growing needs of diverse groups, including Francophone and Indigenous communities; and/or,
Promoting campuses of care to better address the specialized care needs of residents.

Healthy people are essential for a healthy economy. On March 24, the government will release the 2021 Ontario Budget. It will focus on protecting people’s health, with a plan to defeat COVID-19, and support for people and jobs.

Quick Facts

This is part of the Government of Ontario’s Long-Term Care Modernization Plan.
As of December 2020, more than 40,000 people were on the waitlist to access a long-term care bed.
Ontario is investing $933 million in these projects, on top of the $1.75 billion already earmarked for the delivery of 30,000 new spaces over ten years.
With this new allocation, Ontario now has 20,161 new and 15,918 redevelopment spaces in the development pipeline.
Ontario is committing to an average of four hours of direct care per day for our loved ones living in long term care homes. Ontario is the first province in Canada to take this important step.