Bold budget recommendations a new strategy to relieve hospital, LTC strain
TORONTO (February 9, 2026) – AdvantAge Ontario is urging the Ontario government to make its 2026-27 Budget a turning point for seniors’ care by prioritizing upstream investments in supportive housing, home care and community supports so fewer older adults end up in emergency departments, hospital beds or long-term care homes before they truly need to.
“Ontario needs a new playbook,” said Lisa Levin, Chief Executive Officer of AdvantAge Ontario. “We need to invest in measures that prevent crises, not just in those that deal with their impacts. Budget 2026 is an opportunity to get ahead of things by investing in the supports that help older adults stay well at home longer, reduce avoidable hospital pressures, and ensure long-term care homes can meet their residents’ increasingly complex needs.”
The call comes amid growing pressure on seniors’ care, as the population ages and needs become more complex. The number of Canadians aged 65 and older is expected to double in the next 15 years. Research from the Dalla Lana School of Public Health indicates that by 2040, two million more Ontarians will be living with at least one chronic condition.
At the same time, hospitals are increasingly caring for people who would be better supported in the community. A majority of long-term care admissions – 50.1 per cent – are from people coming from hospitals, a 67 per cent increase compared to pre-pandemic levels.
“When half of long-term care admissions are coming from hospitals, that’s a signal the system is forcing too many people to wait until they’re sicker than they should be to get care in the right place,” said Levin. “We can’t afford to treat supportive housing, home care, and community supports as optional. These are the investments that free up hospital capacity and help older adults live with dignity, at home, for longer.”
Homes are also reporting new residents are experiencing more complex clinical needs, including mental health and addiction. Two in every five long-term care residents have a psychiatric or mood disorder, according to the Canadian Institute of Health Information.
AdvantAge Ontario’s budget recommendations reflect a simple reality: the most expensive care is the care that happens too late. The average cost per day caring for an older adult is:
- $63 in supportive care
- $127 via home care
- $200 in long-term care
- $323 in emergency department
- between $700 – $1,200 for a hospital bed
A more robust continuum with adequate supportive housing, home and community care, and appropriately resourced long-term care improves quality of life for older adults and makes the overall system more sustainable.
BACKGROUND
AdvantAge Ontario is calling on the province to deliver in two priority areas:
- Dramatically expand supports for seniors’ assisted living and home and community care.
- Create a dedicated capital and operating funding stream to expand seniors’ supportive housing, including specialized housing for those with complex mental health and addictions needs.
- Stabilize existing supportive housing and community support programs to prevent service erosion and closures.
- Provide ongoing, permanent funding to support Nursing Homes Without Walls so more seniors can receive supports earlier and closer to home.
- Invest $605 million in home care, community support services, and independent living to reduce avoidable emergency visits and hospital stays.
- Ensure long-term care is resourced for rising acuity and changing resident needs.
- Provide dedicated funding to long-term care homes to enhance care for residents with complex mental health and substance use needs, including funding for ongoing staff training and capacity building and additional specialized staffing positions.
- Invest in community-based support for seniors with mental health and addictions diagnosis to ensure people are getting the appropriate care in the appropriate place.
- Provide an increase in level-of-care (LOC) funding for long-term care homes to keep pace with rising costs and ensure homes can continue to deliver high-quality care.
- Provide a 6.1 per cent funding increase for nurses, PSWs, and allied health professionals in each home to keep pace with rising costs and ensure long-term care homes can achieve and sustain the delivery of four hours of direct daily care.
AdvantAge Ontario’s full pre-budget submission is posted on the Association’s website.
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AdvantAge Ontario is the voice of not-for-profit seniors’ care in the province, representing more than 530 long-term care, seniors’ housing, supportive housing, and community service agencies.
To arrange an interview with Lisa Levin, please contact Chris Noone, Senior Manager of Communications and Member Services, at cnoone@advantageontario.ca.
