The provincial government has faced years of criticism over insufficient inspections of long-term care homes after they allowed LTC homes to hire cheaper and untrained labour in 2020, and LTC inspectors were not allowed to issue fines leading to an increase in deaths during the pandemic. Recently, the LTC Minister announced his ministry is creating a new ten person ‘investigation unit’ and the government will spend $72.3 million to fund it. The new unit will “investigate allegations of residence abuse and neglect, non-compliance with provincial rules or the orders of previous inspectors, the suppressing or falsifying of mandatory reports, and negligence by an LTC home’s corporate directors”.
This policy joins a growing list of policy rollbacks, but it is a welcome one, as funding for for-profit LTC continues despite evidence that they prioritize profit over care. Concerned Friends will be watching this development closely.
