QUEEN’S PARK — MPP Mike Schreiner, made the following statement following the release of Ombudsman Paul Dubé’s report on oversight of long-term care homes during the pandemic.
“Ontario’s elders deserve to live with dignity and in safe conditions but this report details a shocking collapse of the systems designed to keep them safe in the province’s long-term care homes.
The Ministry of Long-Term Care was missing in action during the first wave of the pandemic.
Its inspection system was in chaos with no plan, no training or equipment and very little action to fix problems, even when residents were at grave risk.
Lack of oversight by the ministry and the government contributed to the tragedy that ensued with one-third of the province’s pandemic deaths happening in long-term care homes.
I’m calling on the government to move immediately to repair this broken system by implementing the Ombudsman’s 76 recommendations.
And we again call on the Premier to begin an immediate phase-out of for-profit long-term care and increase funding to improve and expand non-profit care.
During the pandemic, for-profit homes had nearly twice as many residents infected with COVID-19 and 78 percent more deaths compared with non-profit homes.
Seniors deserve better. It’s time to act.”