Ontario Makes Historic Investment in Long-Term Care

18 March 2021

Dufferin-Caledon: The Ontario government is making an historic investment in 80 new long-term care projects — including one in

Orangeville that will lead to 192 new long-term care (LTC) spaces. These spaces are part of the government’s delivery of 30,000 much-needed long-term care spaces over ten years.

The project is:

  • Headwaters Long-Term Care Residence, by Primacare Living Solutions at 515 Broadway, has been allocated 192 new spaces to create a brand-new home in Orangeville as part of a campus of care model. The home will offer services to Indigenous residents.

 In addition to modernizing the long-term care sector, these projects will help reduce waitlists and end hallway medicine. Province-wide, these investments also support key government priorities, including eliminating three and four bed ward rooms, creating campuses of care and providing new spaces for Indigenous, Francophone and other cultural community residents.

“The number of residents in Dufferin-Caledon who will need long-term care is expected to rise over the next decade,” said MPP Sylvia Jones. “Today’s announcement will help ensure that we have safe and comfortable LTC beds, close to home, for those who need it.”

“Our loved ones in long-term care deserve a comfortable, modern place to live, near family and friends, with the support they need when they need it,” said Dr. Merrilee Fullerton, Minister of Long-Term Care. “These new and upgraded spaces, built to modern design standards, will help prevent and contain the transmission of infectious diseases and ensure residents have access to the care they need in a safe and secure environment.”

Criteria for selecting the projects being announced today included:

  • Upgrading older homes in response to lessons learned around improved Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) measures, particularly the elimination of three and four-bed rooms;
  • Adding spaces to areas where there is high need;
  • Addressing the growing needs of diverse groups, including Francophone and Indigenous communities; and/or,
  • Promoting campuses of care to better address the specialized care needs of residents.

QUICK FACTS
These projects are part Ontario’s Long-Term Care Modernization Plan.

  • As of December 2020, more than 40,000 people across Ontario were on the waitlist to access a long-term care bed.
  • Across the province, the Ontario government is moving forward with 80 new long-term care projects, which will lead to an additional 7,510 new and 4,197 upgraded long-term care spaces.
  • Ontario is investing $933 million in these projects provincewide, on top of the $1.75 billion already earmarked for the delivery of 30,000 new spaces over ten years.
  • With this new allocation, Ontario now has 20,161 new and 15,918 redevelopment spaces in the development pipeline.