By Katrina Boguski
A statement released Oct. 15 by the MPP Laurie Scott said, “The Ontario government will provide up to $270 million this year to long-term care homes across the province to increase staffing levels, leading to more direct care for residents. This includes $4,199,774 for long-term care homes in Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock. This is part of the province’s commitment to ensure long-term care residents receive—on average—four hours of direct care per day by 2024-25. It was also announced that as part of the government’s plan to fix long-term care, it will bring forward legislation that will enshrine its commitment to four hours of care into law.”
Among those residents who will be benefiting from these funds are those at Hyland Crest Long-Term Care, in Minden. The statement said the home “… will receive up to $220,852 for additional staffing this year to increase the hours of direct care for residents. By the year 2024-2025, the home will receive $1,352,700 annually more than their current funding.”

Additionally, Highland Wood, in Haliburton, “… will receive up to $106,861 for additional staffing this year to increase the hours of direct care for residents. By the year 2024-2025, the home will receive $654,528 annually more than their current funding.”
More funding will also go to Extendicare in Haliburton, which will receive “… up to $156,738 for additional staffing this year to increase the hours of direct care for residents. By the year 2024-2025, the home will receive $959,976 annually more than their current funding.”
“This funding will allow long-term care homes in our community to hire additional staff so they can provide a better quality of care to local residents,” said Laurie Scott, MPP for Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock. “This is part of our government’s plan to train, hire, and retain thousands of new staff over the next four years.”
The announcement said that currently, residents receive “… an average of two hours and 45 minutes of direct care from nurses and personal support workers. This funding will increase the daily average to 3 hours, per resident per day by the end of this fiscal year.”

In an email to the Echo sent shortly after the announcement was made, Bonnie Roe said, “In a meeting initiated by Laurie Scott, … myself and Susan Taylor were pleased to represent the Haliburton-CKL Long-Term Care Coalition. We were excited to hear about this announcement and others forthcoming around much needed new inspection protocols. We reiterated a need to continue to work together with our MPP, moving forward, but emphasized change is needed now and we need to hear specific timelines.”
Roe added, “However, these monies are nowhere close to what is needed to provide the necessary ‘safe levels of care’ currently or by 2024-5. The loss of 30 per cent of PSW’S in the workforce since the pandemic means a huge catch up that cannot be met with these monies or the current level of training. It is imperative that we see that these monies flow to LTC homes and are not just empty promises or that profits are being skimmed off the top by for-profit companies, which has happened during the pandemic. This is a start and with more pressure from advocates, families and our elders maybe we will begin to finally repair this broken system and return ‘care and dignity’ to the lives of residents in LTC.”