December 17, 2020
Lisa Levin, CEO of AdvantAge Ontario, released the following statement related to the Ontario government’s release today of its Staffing Plan: A Better Place to Live; A Better Place to Work.
If there was ever a time for big investments in long-term care, it is now. The pandemic has taken a terrible toll on residents, their families, and the dedicated staff who care for them. It has shone a light on the consequences of decades of underfunding and understaffing. We have to learn from this – and must not let it ever happen again.
Today’s announcement is a historic step forward. The promised investment of $1.9 billion dollars over the next four years to create more than 27,000 new positions for personal support workers, registered nurses, and registered practical nurses has the potential to make a huge difference in the care of Ontario’s seniors. And it goes even further with a commitment to additional funding for other critical health care professionals in long-term care.
This staffing strategy fulfills the request that we have been making to government for years. We have long called for a comprehensive health human resources strategy that includes education, recruitment and retention – and today the government has delivered. This investment will be the catalyst to ensure seniors’ care in Ontario is truly a priority.
AdvantAge Ontario has been dedicated to supporting Ontario’s seniors for over 100 years. We look forward to working with the government to make the vision of 21st-century seniors’ care
a reality.
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Contact:
Debbie Humphreys
Senior Director, Corporate and Public Affairs
W: 905.851.8821 x 233
C: 416.553.7401
dhumphreys@advantageontario.ca
Chris Noone
Manager, Communications and Member Services
W: 905.851.8821 x 253
cnoone@advantageontario.ca