SUDBURY -- The Northeast Family Councils Network, a grassroots group of volunteers from Long-term Care Family Councils in northeastern Ontario, is urging the province to begin without delay its examination of the state of long-term care homes in Ontario.

"The purpose of the Family Council is to speak up for the residents who are living in that home, who cannot speak up for themselves," said Roma Smith a co-chair at the network.

The letter includes 17 calls to action with a potential second wave of COVID-19 later this year. It says the province is relying too heavily on public health officials -- and not consulting workplace safety experts -- to keep long-term care homes safe.

"You need particular protections in place to make sure workers don't become unwitting vectors of the disease," said Nancy Johnson another co-chair.

"It not only jeopardizes their own health, but their families if they take it home to them."

The network fired off the letter to Premier Doug Ford and other ministers late last week, as well as to Prime Minister Trudeau.