Ontario Health Coalition calls for end to subsidizing private long-term care homes
In a passionate, virtual news conference Friday morning over Zoom, volunteers with the Ontario Health Coalition took a stand against for-profit long-term care.
The group said the Ford government plans to award public dollars to private operators for long-term care beds.
"Many of the for-profit beds are being awarded to providers that had some of the most egregious records during the COVID-19 pandemic and they are nonetheless being awarded new licenses and will continue to make profits if they are successful getting these licenses at the expense of seniors and other vulnerable people," said the coalition's Al Dupuis.
Dupuis said the province's plans defy logic. The Ontario Health Coalition has compiled a report that outlines which providers are getting which beds from the provincial government.
The Coalition also found non-profit homes and municipally owned homes are getting the minority of new beds being allocated by the province.
"The report … wasn't new to me because I have been part of the healthcare scene in Sudbury for more than 50 years," said the coalition's Dot Klein.
"We have to start putting our efforts into supporting our municipally owned long-term care facilities and not-for-profits and stop thinking that we can get off easy by calling in a company that has shown us (poor numbers) throughout the pandemic."
Jason Maclennan said he lost his grandmother from an infection in a for-profit long-term care home.
"I certainly don't want to go to long-term care -- I'd rather be pushed in front of a bus than with some of the experiences that I've had," he said.
"Where is all the media on this? Why are they not asking the provincial government the tough questions? We're doing the talking, just fix the issue."
CTV Northern Ontario, the Sudbury Star as well as several outlets from North Bay were all on the Zoom news conference.
Klein said the coalition has reached out to the province to present them its findings and outline its concerns, but for the most part it's fallen on deaf ears.
CTV News reached out to the Ministry of Long Term Care to give it an opportunity to respond but hadn't received a response as of Friday evening.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.