MPP Gates calls for 4 hours-a-day care in LTC after Ford failed to meet targets

QUEENS PARK – MPP Wayne Gates (Niagara Falls), Ontario NDP critic for Long-Term Care, called out Ford's government for failing to meet their own goals of providing four hours of care per day for every resident in long-term care.

“We know what the cause of the issue is – the staffing crisis that this Premier has created in long-term care,” said Gates. “According to this government’s own documents, we need an additional 13,200 nurses, and 37,700 PSWs, and we’re not hitting that target. Our seniors in long-term care deserve better. When will this government stop breaking their own promises and deliver on the care our seniors need and deserve?”

Gates and the Ontario NDP have been calling for a minimum standard of four hours per day of care for residents and have called on the Ford government to reduce the use of private staffing agencies while providing nurses and PSWs with full-time, good-paying positions.

“We know this government spent nearly $1 billion in 2022 and 2023 on private staffing agencies in health care and long-term care,” said Gates. “Turnover in our long-term care homes is high and it won’t be fixed until this government commits to paying nurses and PSWs good wages, with full-time hours, benefits, and pensions. I’m calling on the Ford government to reduce the use of these private staffing agencies and pay our nurses and PSWs what they deserve.”