Ontario aims to add 2,000 more nurses in long-term care sector
Ontario plans to spend up to $100 million to add 2,000 nurses to the long-term care sector over the next few years as part of a larger plan to beef up staffing levels and improve care for residents.
Long-Term Care Minister Rod Phillips said Wednesday that the plan will support Ontario's commitment to increasing direct care for long-term care residents to four hours a day, on average.
Seniors entering long-term care are older and have more complex needs than a decade ago, Phillips said, and additional staff are needed to support them.
"The level of care those residents need has increased dramatically, but the amount of care they receive each day has not kept up," Phillips said at a news conference in Toronto.
The funding announced Wednesday will go towards several programs over the next four years -- one will provide up to $6,000 a year in tuition for personal support workers to become registered practical nurses, and up to $10,000 a year in tuition to registered practical nurses to become registered nurses.
Participants will have to commit to working in long-term care for the same time period as they receive the tuition supports.
"This support will help address barriers people face when they want to further their education, and it's a win-win scenario," Phillips said. "More staff for long-term care, more educational and career opportunities for staff in long-term care."
The government is also aiming to increase access to nursing programs at publicly funded colleges. One stream through that program will offer up to $6,000 per year for internationally trained nurses to gain required work credentials in Ontario.
Wednesday's announcement is the latest of several leading up to legislation that's set to be introduced on Thursday. Phillips has said the legislation will set standards in long-term care, including the government's pledge that residents will receive four hours of direct care per day by 2025.
Earlier this week, Phillips announced plans to double the number of long-term care inspectors and to return to proactive inspections of homes, which the Progressive Conservative government scaled back on in 2018.
Phillips has also said an announcement will come this week on the future of wages for personal support workers. A temporary pandemic wage increase of $3 per hour is set to expire on Oct. 31.
Unions and other advocates have pointed to low wages as a key factor behind a staffing shortage plaguing the sector that saw widespread COVID-19 infections and deaths during the pandemic.
Premier Doug Ford has said he will make that wage increase permanent but hasn't said how or when that will happen.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 27, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW What Canada is doing about the toxic forever chemicals in drinking water
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
Arrest made, manslaughter charge pending in 2022 death of Calgary toddler
Calgary police have arrested a man and a charge is pending in connection with the death of a toddler in 2022.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson Airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Here's why experts don't think cloud seeding played a role in Dubai's downpour
Scientists say it's highly unlikely cloud seeding is responsible for the heavy rains that have caused flooding in the United Arab Emirates this month, and that climate change is the more likely culprit.
Doug Ford calls on Ontario Speaker to reverse Queen's Park keffiyeh ban
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling on Speaker Ted Arnott to reverse a ban on keffiyehs at Queen's Park, describing the move as “needlessly” divisive.