OHC in the News

Ontario Health Coalition To Join In On Province-Wide Day Of Action

(October 6, 2020) By: Heart FM The OHC will be going to multiple communities in Oxford County on Thursday, including Woodstock, to private long-term care homes. It is to draw attention to the fact that private long-term care homes do not do a good enough job taking care of seniors. OXFORD COUNTY – The Ontario […]

Save Our Seniors: Fix LTC! rally comes to Newmarket

(October 6, 2020) By: Kim Champion, New Market Today Newmarket and Aurora’s pan-partisan protest group Common Ground Coalition will join the Ontario Health Coalition’s day of action on Thursday, Oct. 8 to demand the Ford government act immediately to address challenges within the province’s long-term care facilities. Common Ground spokesperson Jon Aston said the coalition […]

Thursday rally at Oosterhoff’s office focused on long-term care

(October 6, 2020) By: Allan Benner, The Standard As COVID-19 outbreaks again increase at long-term care homes in Niagara and across the province, advocacy groups are renewing lobbying efforts for systemic changes they feel are needed to protect the residents of those facilities. Despite past outbreaks that claimed the lives of about 1,900 people across […]

Protests planned in Sudbury and across Ontario to call for increased staffing in LTC homes

(October 5, 2020) By: Sudbury.com NOTE: This story amended to include proper timing of event at 11 a.m. Thursday. Apologies for initial error- Len Gillis A province-wide protest is being planned for this Thursday in Sudbury and in communities across Ontario, calling on the province to resolve the staffing crisis in long-term care homes. The […]

London Health Coalition says government using pandemic to privitize healthcare in Ontario

(October 5, 2020) By: 980 CFPL The London Health Coalition is calling on the provincial government to change its approach to the spread of COVID-19, alleging the government is using the pandemic to privatize health care. Peter Bergmanis from the London Health Coalition joins Devon Peacock on the Morning Show to discuss. Click here for […]

Long-term care protest in Sudbury, across Ontario on Thursday

(October 4, 2020) By: Woodstock Sentinel Review A health coalition is planning a series of protests — including one in Sudbury — to press for better care in Ontario’s long-term care homes. The Ontario Health Coalition said the Ford government needs to hire more staff, implement a minimum of four hours of hands-on care for […]

Premiers Should Not Play Partisan Politics with Health Care; Concrete Commitments Needed From Provincial & Federal Governments

(October 1, 2020) By: Exchange Magazine Health Coalitions across Canada were pleased with Throne Speech promises to expand public health care to create a universal comprehensive public pharmacare program and to set national standards for long-term care. However, concrete commitments are conspicuously absent. As reported in the speech, more than 9,000 Canadians have died in […]

More than 15,000 surgeries postponed in eastern Ontario, Outaouais due to pandemic

(October 1, 2020) By: CBC News Staff, CBC News Hospitals in eastern Ontario and Outaouais are dealing with a lengthy backlog of surgical procedures that were either postponed or cancelled to free up space and staff amid the pandemic. About 14,000 elective surgeries were put on hold in hospitals in the Champlain local health network region. In the Outaouais, […]

More than 15,000 surgeries postponed in eastern Ontario, Outaouais due to pandemic

(October 1, 2020) By: CBCNews, Yahoo News Hospitals in eastern Ontario and Outaouais are dealing with a lengthy backlog of surgical procedures that were either postponed or cancelled to free up space and staff amid the pandemic. About 14,000 elective surgeries were put on hold in hospitals in the Champlain local health network region. In the Outaouais, 1,150 surgical […]

Advocates, province address wait times for COVID-19 testing

(October 1, 2020) By: Mike Aiken, Kenora Online The province is looking at new ways to improve testing for the coronavirus. With a second wave underway, testing and contact tracing has become even more important. Natalie Mehra of the Ontario health coalition says we should be seeing better turn-around times. “We had a lull. We […]

More than 15,000 surgeries postponed in eastern Ontario, Outaouais due to pandemic

(October 1, 2020) By: CBC News A file photo of health professionals in a hospital room. Hospitals in the eastern Ontario region are dealing with a massive backlog of surgical procedures. (Evan Mitsui/CBC) Hospitals in eastern Ontario and Outaouais are dealing with a lengthy backlog of surgical procedures that were either postponed or cancelled to free […]

Long-term care homes unprepared for second wave, local health advocate says

(September 30, 2020) By: Cathy Dobson, The Sarnia Journal The Ford government has done nothing to prepare Ontario’s long-term care homes for a second wave of COVID-19 infections, says the chairperson of the Sarnia Lambton Health Coalition. Shirley Roebuck said the second wave has arrived, yet the province isn’t taking action to avoid the devastation […]

‘A wave, or a tsunami’; Next round of COVID-19 will be bad – but how bad is up to Ontarians, Ford says

(September 29, 2020) By: Antonella Artuso, Toronto Sun Expect Ontario’s second wave of the coronavirus to be worse than the original, warns Premier Doug Ford. The province reported 700 new cases of COVID-19 Monday – a single-day record that surpassed numbers seen at the height of the lockdown in April. Ford said the “deeply concerning” […]

Ontario reports 700 new COVID-19 cases, nearly half in Toronto

(September 28, 2020) By: Antonella Artuso, Toronto Sun Expect Ontario’s second wave of the coronavirus to be worse than the original, warns Premier Doug Ford. The province reported 700 new cases of COVID-19 Monday — a single-day record that surpassed numbers seen at the height of the lockdown in April. Ford said the “deeply concerning” […]

What caused the September surprise in testing? It’s complicated

(September 26, 2020) By: Elizabeth Payne, Ottawa Citzen The long lines and boiling frustration around COVID-19 testing centres in Ottawa have led many to ask why the province wasn’t prepared for a predictable September spike in demand. Like most questions involving Ontario’s multibillion-dollar health system, the answer is complicated. Not only has the worst pandemic […]

What caused the September surprise in testing? It’s complicated

(September 26, 2020) By: Elizabeth Payne, Ottawa Sun The long lines and boiling frustration around COVID-19 testing centres in Ottawa have led many to ask why the province wasn’t prepared for a predictable September spike in demand. Like most questions involving Ontario’s multibillion-dollar health system, the answer is complicated. Not only has the worst pandemic […]

Health Coalition warns seniors’ infections on the rise again

(September 25, 2020) By: Renfrew Today While COVID-19 may be claiming new victims in the under 40 age group, the Ontario Health Coalition is cautioning Premier Ford not to take the situation in the Province’s longterm care homes for granted. Seniors were hardest hit in during the first wave of the virus, and numbers are […]

Layoff of nurses at Southlake, use of private clinics draw ire of health-care advocates

(September 24, 2020) By: Kim Champion, New Market Today Liberal MPP Michael Coteau today came out swinging against the Ford government during Question Period, accusing it of trying to privatize health care through the “back door” by suggesting payment to private medical clinics to help clear the surgery logjam created by the COVID-19 pandemic, a leaked […]

‘It’s A Free Market Society’: Doug Ford Dismisses Concerns About Company Charging $400 For COVID-19 Tests

(September 23, 2020) By: PressProgress “Healthcare is not a free market in Canada, that flies against the principles of our society,” healthcare advocates say. Ontario Premier Doug Ford is dismissing concerns about possible price gouging from private healthcare companies reportedly charging Ontarians hundreds of dollars for COVID-19 tests, suggesting that’s just how capitalism works. During […]

“Profit over people”: The business of Canada’s for-profit long-term care sector called into question

(September 21, 2020) By: Stephanie Hughes, Yahoo News Aaliyah* faced a lot of pressure and professional oversight working in an Extendicare long-term care home in the Toronto area over the past two years, but what she saw during the COVID-19 pandemic couldn’t compare. Amidst growing COVID-19 cases in April she describes a lack of communication from […]

Feds ‘Urgently’ Need To Make Private Nursing Homes Public After COVID-19 Outbreaks

(September 18, 2020) By: Sherina Harris, HuffPost Canada Christine Collins’ brother Peter tested positive for COVID-19 less than a month after he was transferred from a hospital to Carlingview Manor in Ottawa. He was supposed to be in isolation upon arriving at the long-term care home, but on the dementia floor where he lived, residents wandered […]

Hamilton hospitals worry uptick of COVID-19 will disrupt elective cases again

(September 16, 2020) By: Joanna Frketich, The Hamilton Spectator Hamilton’s hospitals are watching Ontario’s uptick in COVID-19 cases with worry as they try to get through a massive backlog of postponed care. “We’re seeing increased cases in the community but we’re not seeing increased hospitalizations so far,” said Dr. Wes Stephen, chief operating officer of Hamilton Health […]

Ontario must address challenges in long-term care homes

(September 16, 2020) By: Wallaceburg Courier Press It is shocking, given the devastation of COVID-19 in our long-term care homes, but Ontario’s government has done little to address the critical staffing and care shortages. Even before COVID-19, across Ontario long-term care homes were critically short-staffed every shift, every day. Then the pandemic hit. Now the […]

Lakeridge Health says it’s under extreme budget pressures

(September 11, 2020) By: Frazer Snowdon, Global News The healthcare network that represents five hospitals in the Durham Region says it is facing significant budget pressures upwards of a $9.6M deficit, according to an internal memo obtained by Global News. Lakeridge Health says they operated 80-100 more beds than they were funded for last year. […]

Lakeridge Health says it’s under extreme budget pressures

(September 10, 2020) By: Frazer Snowdon, Global News The healthcare network that represents five hospitals in the Durham Region says it is facing significant budget pressures upwards of a $9.6M deficit, according to an internal memo obtained by Global News. Lakeridge Health says they operated 80-100 more beds than they were funded for last year. […]

Ontario Health Coalition demanding more transparency from province on COVID-19 outbreaks

(September 10, 2020) By: Jonah Shinuda, InBrampton The Ontario Health Coalition, which has been tracking COVID-19 outbreaks since the beginning of the pandemic, is calling for the provincial government to be more transparent about outbreaks of the virus and improve public access to information. The Coalition says it released two new reports in which it highlighted important information that is either no longer […]

Lakeridge Health says it’s under extreme budget pressures

Is Ontario ready for a second wave of COVID-19?

(September 8, 2020) By: Joanna Frketich & Grant LaFleche, St. Catharines Standard “Disaster upon disaster” is how the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario describes long-term-care homes during the pandemic. “Nursing homes basically during COVID-19 for several months were abandoned,” said CEO Doris Grinspun. “Abandoned by government in very concrete ways.” Despite promises from the federal and provincial […]

Ford’s commission won’t get to the bottom of LTC scandal

(September 7, 2020) By: Keith Leslie, The Hamilton Spectator It’s clear Ontario needs a public inquiry to determine why governments did nothing substantive to address a chronic shortage of long-term care workers that existed long before COVID-19 killed over 1,850 residents and staff. We can’t depend on Premier Doug Ford’s commission of inquiry to dig […]

As we enter The Great Unknown, the second wave of COVID-19, is Canada better prepared than we were before?

(September 5, 2020) By: Sharon Kirkey, Calgary Herald One evening in mid-March, as a weird and eerie illness was making itself frighteningly real in northern Italy and New York City, Ontario hospitals were instructed to commence shutting down “non-emergent” procedures, in anticipation of a COVID-19 surge. Dr. Jonathan Irish is a cancer surgeon. He had five […]

Two-day time lag in reporting Hamilton COVID-19 data

(September 4, 2020) By: Joanna Frketich, The Hamilton Spectator COVID-19 data will now be two days behind when it’s reported to the public on the city’s website. Hamilton public health services is blaming the 48-hour lag on the transition to a new case and contact management (CCM) system that is mandated by the Ministry of […]

13 Windsor Regional Hospital staff caught COVID-19 in the community, not from patients

(September 4, 2020) By: Jackie Sharkey, Yahoo News So far, 13 Windsor Regional Hospital staff have caught COVID-19 over the course of the pandemic, but it was from community exposure — not inside the hospital, says administration. The staff infection rate was released Thursday night at the hospital’s monthly board meeting. It’s an update from […]

COVID reporting demands more transparency

(September 2, 2020) By: Hamilton Spectator, The Hamilton Spectator Balancing competing priorities is never an easy task. It’s even more difficult when we’re talking about public health priorities, and it’s exponentially more difficult when we’re talking about public health priorities in a pandemic. That said, making those decisions is what public health officials get paid […]

Preparing nursing homes for a second wave starts with staffing

(August 27, 2020) By: Amit Arya Contributors: Amina Jabbar & Vivian Stamatopoulos, St. Catharines Standard Imagine if the Ministry of Education in Ontario didn’t mandate a minimum number of staff to look after children in daycares. Would one early childhood educator ever be expected to care for 30 toddlers in a single shift? What about […]

Ontario supply teachers left out of COVID-19 conversation, group says

(August 19, 2020) By: Osobe Waberi, The Canadian Press TORONTO — A coalition of Ontario educators says substitute teachers are concerned about health and safety risks related to working in multiple schools as they prepare to return to classrooms in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ontario Education Workers United, an organization made up of […]

‘We’re pissed!’: CUPE, OCHU demonstrate outside MPP’s office

(August 19, 2020) By: Cornwall Newswatch Elaine MacDonald with the Ontario Health Coalition speaks during a CUPE-OCHU demonstration outside MPP Jim McDonell’s office in Cornwall, Ont. on Wednesday, Aug 19, 2020. The unions say Ontario’s Bill 195 is stripping members of their rights under existing collective agreements. (Newswatch Group/Bill Kingston) CORNWALL – Around 30 members […]

Kenjgewin Teg, Wiikwemkoong work to help fill PSW void

(August 19, 2020) By: Warren Shlote, Manitoulin Express MANITOULIN – Two free courses on Manitoulin Island will train up to 50 people to become personal support workers (PSWs) in partnership with schools, nursing homes and a provincial grant, joining efforts to relieve some chronic staffing shortages in health care. “Last year, nine students started with […]

LEVY: Fix the problems before you add more LTC beds

(August 12, 2020) By: Gord Holder, Ottawa Sun Why do politicians repeatedly think that throwing more money at a long-time problem will fix it? There are no shortage of examples in my political experience. But Premier Doug Ford’s announcement Tuesday that he intends to fast-track another long-term care home with 320 beds suggests to me […]

Just another quick fix; Bed funding ignores the real issues

(August 12, 2020) By: Sue-Ann Levy, Toronto Sun (Print Edition) Why do politicians repeatedly think that throwing more money at a longtime problem will fix it? There are no shortage of examples in my political experience. But Premier Doug Ford’s announcement Tuesday that he intends to fast-track another long-term-care home with 320 beds suggests to […]

Concerns raised about what to do if COVID-19 outbreak happens at school

(August 11, 2020) By: Nicole Lampa, CTV News Kitchener KITCHENER — Just four weeks before children across Ontario head back to school, some are raising concerns about the lack of guidance provided when it comes to dealing with a possible COVID-19 outbreak. The Ministry of Education for the province has said an outbreak will be […]

‘Some don’t even get showered’: Barrie long-term-care staffer discusses ‘upsetting’ working conditions

(August 10, 2020) By: Chris Simon & Janis Ramsay, Barrie Advance Out of the Simcoe-Muskoka region’s 37 COVID-19-related deaths, 24 are linked to long-term-care and retirement homes It’s all true, the stories of long-term-care residents who are malnourished and dehydrated, and who live in quarters that are dirty and foul-smelling. That’s according to two longtime […]

Island LTC braces for possible second wave

(August 5, 2020) By: Warren Schlote, Manitoulin Expositor MANITOULIN – Health experts, politicians, front-line workers and family members have described the way COVID-19 has impacted Canadian long-term care (LTC) homes as a failure, sparking public inquiries and calls to reckon with the high number of deaths within these facilities that outpaced many countries. Manitoulin Island […]

Lindsay business owner works to address inequities for PSWs

(July 31, 2020) By: Catherine Whitnall, Kawartha Lakes This Week Graham Bashford assisting government home-care company recruit caregivers and develop best practices Castle Keep Retirement Inc. owner Graham Bashford has been assisting a government home-care company with recruiting caregivers and developing best practices as his way of helping address inequities impacting personal support workers which […]

Kitchener woman wants families involved in long-term care home inquiry

(July 29, 2020) By: Nicole Lampa, CTV News KITCHENER — A Kitchener woman says the province should include families in its inquiry into long-term care homes in Ontario. Premier Doug Ford officially launched a commission of inquiry into how COVID-19 was able to grip the province’s long-term care homes leading to more than 1,800 resident […]

Virtual visits with Ontario family doctors to remain the norm, for now

(July 28, 2020) By: Yahoo News Canada While Ontario’s Stage 3 reopening means people can go to bars and eat in restaurants, family physicians are unlikely to transition from virtual to in-person visits any time soon, despite concerns over potential long-term consequences. “Until it is feasible for doctors to protect their communities, they are not going to change […]

Sudbury MPP hosting online town hall Tuesday to discuss long-term care

(July 27, 2020) By: Sudbury.com Staff People having concerns about long-term care in Ontario will have the opportunity to learn more Tuesday, July 28. Sudbury MPP Jamie West (New Democrat) will be hosting a virtual town hall meeting on his official Facebook page. The event is scheduled to run between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. and […]

New OHC report reveals worsening situation in Long Term Care

(July 26, 2020) By: Samantha Butler-Hassan, Kingstonist The Ontario Health Coalition (OHC) released a sobering report on Wednesday, Jul. 22 revealing systemic staffing shortages in Long Term Care (LTC) homes. The survey took place during the week of Jul. 10 to 17, 2020 in every region in Ontario. Ninety-five percent of respondents indicated their LTC […]

Health group reporting “serious” COVID outbreaks in retail stores and shelter system

(July 26, 2020) By: Enzo Dimatteo, Now Toronto The Ontario Health Coalition says specifics of the outbreaks are being underreported by public health units and largely shielded from public scrutiny. Ontario recorded spikes in the number of COVID cases this week. Are we going through the fits and starts of Stage 3 reopening? Or are the numbers […]

Pandemic has hampered long-term care: Ontario Health Coalition

(July 24, 2020) By: Francis Racine, Cornwall Standard-Freeholder The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic seems to have created worsening conditions in Ontario’s long-term care homes, according to a recent survey organized by the Ontario Health Coalition. Survey results, unveiled on Wednesday, demonstrated a high number of long-term care staff members polled considered shortages felt in the facilities […]

Good morning, Sudbury! Here are eight stories to start your day

(July 24, 2020) By: Sudbury.com Staff Good morning, Greater Sudbury. Here are some stories to start your day. Coalition says LTC staffing was in crisis before COVID-19, is ‘unspeakable’ now: The Ontario Health Coalition (OHC) is calling on the Ontario Government to take immediate action to boost the staffing levels at long-term care homes, which […]

Here’s the latest on COVID-19 outbreaks in health care and non-health-care settings: report

(July 24, 2020) By: Matt Dionne, inthehammer Since COVID-19 began spreading throughout the province in March, the Ontario Health Coalition (OHC) has been tracking the number of people who have contracted the virus in health care settings. As Stage 2 permitted more types of businesses to open, the OHC began tracking outbreaks in other industries as well. […]

Ontario healthcare settings see 30 new coronavirus outbreaks in one month: report

(July 24, 2020) By: Clarrie Feinstein, Daily Hub News Two new reports tracking COVID-19 outbreaks in healthcare settings and non-healthcare settings were released this week and show an increase of cases in the last month. On Thursday, the Ontario Health Coalition (OCH) revealed their findings, which found 30 new outbreaks in health and congregate care settings […]

Major Staff Shortages At Long Term Care Homes

(July 24, 2020) By: Mike Ebbeling, CKDR The Ontario Health Coalition is sounding alarms over the state of our long term care homes. A Coalition survey shows 95% of staff report that their long-term care facility is short staffed. It also shows 63% of staff report staffing levels are worse than before the COVID-19 pandemic […]

Health coalition survey shows severe staff shortages at LTC homes

(July 23, 2020) By: Allan Benner, The Standard Long-term care homes in Niagara were well represented in an Ontario Health Coalition survey that determined 95 per cent of the facilities across the province are understaffed, says Sue Hotte, president of the organization’s local chapter. The results of the provincewide survey were released Wednesday by the […]

Ontario’s long-term care homes are woefully understaffed: survey

(July 23, 2020) By: Maureen Revait, BlackBurnNews.com File photo courtesy © CanStockPhoto.com/Leaf) A health advocacy organization is calling for change after a survey revealed the vast majority of staff at long-term care homes across Ontario are working short-staffed virtually every day. The Ontario Health Coalition surveyed 150 staff members from 75 long-term care homes across the province […]

COVID-19: Significant drop in new cases in Ottawa and Ontario, back-to-school info could come next week

(July 23, 2020) By: Taylor Blewett, Edmonton Sun What you need to know, at a glance New cases of COVID-19 were down significantly Thursday, compared to case counts early in the week. Ontario reported just 103 new cases bringing the number of active cases province-wide to 1,492, while no new deaths were reported. The province […]

COVID-19 : les hôpitaux ontariens tentent de résorber le retard en chirurgie

(July 23, 2020) By: Radio-Canada La COVID-19 a forcé l’annulation et le report de plusieurs chirurgies afin de libérer de l’espace dans les hôpitaux. (PHOTO : ISTOCK) De nombreux patients se retrouvent dans les limbes du système de santé après que des milliers d’interventions chirurgicales non urgentes aient été annulées ou reportées en réponse à […]

COVID-19: Back-to-school details could come early next week; new cases down significantly in city and Ontario

(July 23, 2020) By: Taylor Blewett, Ottawa Citizen What you need to know, at a glance New cases of COVID-19 were down significantly Thursday, compared to case counts early in the week. Ontario reported just 103 new cases bringing the number of active cases province-wide to 1,492, while no new deaths were reported. The province […]

Coalition says LTC staffing was in crisis before COVID-19, is ‘unspeakable’ now

(July 23, 2020) By: Len Gillis, Sudbury.com (Supplied) The Ontario Health Coalition (OHC) is calling on the Ontario Government to take immediate action to boost the staffing levels at long-term care homes, which the OHC says has staffing levels just as bad or worse than before the COVID-19 pandemic. The coalition’s claim follows the release of […]

Things ‘worse than ever’; Staffing issues at LTC homes continue to deteriorate

(July 23, 2020) By: Sue-Ann Levy, Toronto Sun A newly released Ontario Health Coalition survey has quantified what many families and advocates have been hearing in the last three months: Namely that long-term care homes have even worse staffing issues than before the COVID-19 pandemic. OHC executive director Natalie Mehra told a Zoom media conference […]

SURVEY RELEASED REVEALING CURRENT CONDITIONS IN LTC HOMES ACROSS ONTARIO

(July 23, 2020) By: Matt Holmes, iHeartRadio Matt Holmes Speaks with Natalie Mehra – Executive Director Ontario Health Coalition regarding new survey revealing condition in long term care homes in Ontario Link to full radio interview here

Long-term care survey results ‘disturbing,’ coalition

(July 23, 2020) By: Mike Aiken, Kenora Online Long-term care workers in Ontario are worried about the state of homes and their patients, as they wait for a second wave of COVID-19. Natalie Mehra at the Ontario Health Coalition talks about the results of a recent survey, noting staffing shortages across the province are were […]

More COVID-19 deaths at for-profit nursing homes in Ontario, study finds

(July 23, 2020) By: The Canadian Press, inhalton For-profit long-term care homes in Ontario saw significantly worse outbreaks of COVID-19 and more related deaths than their non-profit or municipally run counterparts, according to a new study released on Wednesday. The paper in the peer-reviewed Canadian Medical Association Journal raises questions about the ownership status of […]

Ontario hospitals strive to clear surgery backlog as patients remain in limbo due to COVID-19

(July 23, 2020) By: CBC News, Yahoo News After hospitals across Ontario cancelled or postponed thousands of elective surgeries to free up space amid the COVID-19 pandemic, officials are now facing a new challenge: Tackling a massive backlog of surgical procedures while anxious patients remain in limbo. As CBC News previously reported, an estimated 100,000 […]

More deaths at for-profit nursing homes: Study

(July 23, 2020) By: Colin Perkel, Chatham Daily News TORONTO For-profit long-term care homes in Ontario saw significantly worse outbreaks of COVID-19 and more related deaths than their non-profit or municipally run counterparts, according to a new study released on Wednesday. The paper in the peer-reviewed Canadian Medical Association Journal raises questions about the ownership […]

Long-term care staffing crisis worse than before pandemic, survey says

(July 23, 2020) By: Elizabeth Payne, Ottawa Citizen Residents of Ontario long-term care homes are going without baths, missing crucial care and waiting hours for their meals because of worsening staff shortages, a staff survey released by the Ontario Health Coalition suggests. The survey of more than 150 staff members at 75 long-term care homes […]

Staff Shortages Highlight Long-Term Care Staff Survey

(July 23, 2020) By: Randy Thoms, 93.1 The Border A survey of long term care staff is highlighting some heartbreaking stats. The survey was conducted by the Ontario Health Coalition. “Staff haven’t had time to explain COVID-19 to residents who are confused. They don’t have time to visit with them. This really struck an emotional […]

Staffing levels a concern at long-term care facilities

(July 22, 2020) By: Amanda Smith, Quinte News A new survey by the Ontario Health Coalition is shedding some light on staffing issues at long-term care facilities in the province. Surveys were conducted from July 10-17 province wide and completed by those who work in long-term care homes that range in size from 55 beds […]

Global News Peterborough Update 2: July 22, 2020

(July 22, 2020) By: Global News The results of a long-term care survey conducted by the Ontario Health Coalition are set to be released today, Peterborough Public Health holds its final media briefing, and more from the City of Kawartha Lakes on its COVID-19 measures. Here is your CHEX news update with Noor Ibrahim. Link […]

Long-Term Care Survey Reports Staffing Shortages

(July 22, 2020) By: Sheri Leviski-Kotyk, Country 105 Ontario Health Coalition Executive Director Natalie Mehra A survey of long term care staff highlights heartbreaking stats. That’s according to Ontario Health Coalition Executive Director Natalie Mehra. “Staff haven’t had time to explain COVID-19 to residents who are confused. They don’t have time to visit with them. […]

Coalition says Ontario LTCs chronically understaffed

(July 22, 2020) By: DurhamRegion.com The Ontario Health Coalition has released a survey of staff at long-term care facilities in Ontario and it found that 93 per cent of respondents said the sites are chronically understaffed. Some respondents said the staffing has been worse since the pandemic began in March. DURHAM — A health coalition […]

Les préposés aux bénéficiaires sont à bout dans les foyers de l’Ontario, selon un sondage

(July 22, 2020) By: Radio-Canada Des personnes âgées dans un centre de soins de longue durée. (PHOTO : RADIO-CANADA) La coalition Santé Ontario tire la sonnette d’alarme et demande au gouvernement Ford d’investir massivement dans les conditions de travail des préposés aux bénéficiaires pour améliorer la qualité de vie des résidents dans les centres de […]

Analysis: Why were COVID-19 outbreaks worse in older Toronto nursing homes?

(July 22, 2020) By: Mike Adler, Toronto.com Hawthorne Place Care Centre is a long-term-care facility near Jane Street and Finch Avenue. – Dan Pearce/Torstar Alessandra Lamanna-La Marca remembers the slow, shuddering elevator to the third floor, its stifling heat in summer, and the urine smells outside her mother’s four-bed room. That Hawthorne Place Care Centre room […]

Coronavirus: Ontario government relaxes visiting rules for long-term care homes

(July 22, 2020) By: Global News Family members in Ontario are now allowed to visit their loved ones inside long-term care homes. The change comes after the Ontario Health Coalition announces results about staffing inside these facilities. As Morganne Campbell reports, there’s concern homes do not have the resources needed to facilitate such visits. Link […]

Ontario Health Coalition survey report reveals grim staffing outlook at long-term care homes

(July 22, 2020) By: Brock Ormond, InQuinte.ca Results released Wednesday from an Ontario Health Coalition survey are revealing a dark picture surrounding staffing and care levels at long-term care facilities. The Coalition stated the survey was conducted over the week of July 10 to 17 in every Ontario region and revealed that 95 percent of […]

LEVY: Study says LTC homes have huge staffing issues

(July 22, 2020) By: Sue-Ann Levy, Toronto Sun A newly released Ontario Health Coalition survey has quantified what many families and advocates have been hearing in the past three months: Namely that long-term care homes have even worse staffing issues than prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. OHC executive director Natalie Mehra told a Zoom press […]

More staff needed at long-term care homes ahead of potential second wave, provincial health watchdog says

(July 22, 2020) By: Nicole Lampa, CTV News KITCHENER — A provincial health watchdog is calling on the province to increase staffing levels at long-term care homes across Ontario. The Ontario Health Coalition said homes won’t be prepared if a second wave of COVID-19 arrives in the fall. A study by the Ontario Health Coalition […]

Survey findings paint bleak picture of staffing and care levels in long-term care homes

(July 22, 2020) By: All in a Day with Alan Neal, CBC Radio Ontario Health Coalition executive director Natalie Mehra joined the radio program to discuss the findings from the organization’s survey report of long-term care staff. Link to full radio interview here

Eight More Ontarians admitted to hospital with COVID-19 as daily caseload drops below 200

(July 22, 2020) By: Rob Ferguson, WaterlooChronical.ca Eight more Ontarians have been admitted to hospital for COVID-19 as the number of cases fell back below 200 following a one-day surge and an advocacy group warned nursing homes need more staff to cope with a potential second wave in the fall. The Ministry of Health reported […]

Coalition demands action on LTC

(July 22, 2020) By: Colleen Romaniuk, Nipawin Journal Staff across the province continue to describe staffing shortages in long-term care homes as “heartbreaking,” and are warning the Ford government that the province’s facilities are not prepared for a second wave of COVID-19. The Ontario Health Coalition released the results of a survey distributed to more […]

Long-term care staff shortages worse than ever according to survey

(July 22, 2020) By: Elizabeth Payne, Ottawa Citizen A file photo from an Ontario long-term care home. Photo by Brian Thompson /Postmedia Residents of Ontario long-term care homes are going without baths, missing crucial care and waiting hours for their meals because of worsening staff shortages, a staff survey released by the Ontario Health Coalition […]

Limited indoor visits can now resume at Ontario long-term care homes

(July 22, 2020) By: The Canadian Press TORONTO — Many of Ontario’s long-term care homes are able to resume indoor visits on Wednesday, months after closing their doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Facilities not currently experiencing an outbreak of the novel coronavirus have allowed outdoor visits since last month, but can now permit residents’ […]

Hour 3 of Ottawa Now for Wed. July 22nd, 2020

(July 22, 2020) By: Kristy Cameron, Ottawa Now. Hour 3 of Ottawa Now with Kristy Cameron (Natalie Mehra)- talking about the new OHC staffing survey report. According to a new staffing survey, 95 percent of Ontario’s Long-Term Care Staff are reporting staffing shortages. The Executive Director of the Ontario Health Coalition stops by in […]

Real long-term care reform demands more than finger-pointing and spin

(July 19, 2020) By: Keith Leslie, The Spec Premier Doug Ford promises to improve the conditions in Ontario’s long term care homes that led to the deaths of 1,730 residents and eight staff during the pandemic, but he won’t discuss the role of private corporations. This week, Ford announced a new funding model to get […]

Why Doug Ford’s to blame for health-care mess

(July 15, 2020) By: Bob Hepburn, The Record There’s a well-worn saying in the business world that you can’t cut your way to greatness. It applies equally well to Ontario’s health-care system, which is struggling to cope under the unprecedented strains imposed by the current COVID-19 pandemic. As he launches a major campaign-style road show this week […]

Palliative care has been lacking for decades in long-term care

(July 16, 2020) Dr. Amit Arya is a palliative care physician and a board member of the Ontario Health Coalition By: Amit Arya, Policy Options When the Canadian Armed Forces were called in to help Ontario’s nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, they were shocked by the care and treatment of our nation’s seniors. Their report shared […]

Peterborough activists fear province’s plan to reform home care

(July 9, 2020) By: Matthew Barker, The Peterborough Examiner Peterborough health advocates are worried the provincial government’s plan to modernize home care will impact those who depend on the service and potentially leave others at risk. Bill 175, called the Connecting People to Home and Community Care Act, would allow new Ontario health teams being […]

Ford government making life easier for LTC operators

(July 8, 2020) By: Keith Leslie, The Hamilton Spectator COVID-19 devastated long-term-care homes in Ontario, but it also helped LTC operators get rid of some regulations, at least temporarily, that they’ve lobbied for years to have eliminated. Last year, under the guise of “flexibility,” LTC homes asked to use less qualified staff to address a […]

Ford government making life easier for LTC operators

Health Coalition says Bill 175 would increase long-term care privatization

(July 7, 2020) By: Jake Romphf, Chatham Daily News The Ontario Health Coalition is calling out the Ontario government’s handling of long-term care homes by criticizing Bill 175, which the group says would increase privatization. Some of the coalition’s Southwestern Ontario representatives held a Zoom press conference Friday to speak out against the bill, which […]

Local health coalitions call for action on LTC, withdrawal of Bill 175

(July 4, 2020) By: Brian Cross, Windsor Star Defenders of public health care accuse the Doug Ford government of ignoring the crisis in long-term care and rushing through a bill they say is “a pathway to privatization of the entire health-care system.” When Bill 175, Connecting People to Home and Community Care Act, was introduced […]

Health Coalition says more privatization is not the answer

(July 4, 2020) By: Maureen Revait, Blackburn News The Ontario Health Coalition is calling on the Ontario government to repeal a bill that could introduce more privatization in the province’s health care system. Tracey Ramsey Co-Chair of Windsor Health Coalition said the government’s focus should be on fixing the current situation in long-term care homes […]

Former Essex MP Calls for Halt on Bills 175 and 161

(July 4, 2020) By: Gord Bacon, AM800 CKLW The Ontario Health Coalition is calling for the Ford government to halt two key pieces of legislation. The Ontario PC’s are being called out by the coalition for trying to sneak Bills 175 and 161 past the legislature during the COVID-19 pandemic. Bill 175 is supposed to […]

Des hôpitaux d’Ottawa veulent ouvrir des centres satellites dans les maisons pour aînés

(July 3, 2020) By: CBC/Radio Canada © /CBC/Jean Delisle La direction de lL’Hôpital Élizabeth-Bruyère demandent la création de 110 nouveaux lits de soins de longue durée. Des hôpitaux d’Ottawa demandent au gouvernement ontarien d’approuver rapidement leurs plans pour rendre disponible des centaines de lits de soins de transition et de longue durée dans des milieux […]

Protesters rally against home care bill ahead of third reading

(July 2, 2020) By: Natalie van Roy, CTV News KITCHENER — A group of protesters rallied on Thursday afternoon against a new provincial home care bill. The demonstrators in Kitchener said Bill 175 could privatize home care delivery in Ontario. The bill has passed two readings and is scheduled for a third in the near […]

We need an ethical compass for fixing long-term care during the COVID-19 crisis

(July 3, 2020) By: David Pfrimmer, The Hamilton Spectator When Canada’s military recently reported the living conditions in some of the country’s long-term-care homes “appeared to be nothing short of horrid and inhumane,” Canadians were stunned and justifiably outraged. But those familiar with the long-term care sector were shocked but not surprised. We have been […]

Rallies fail to generate much interest

(July 3, 2020) By: Harold Carmichael, Sudbury Star (Print Edition) Last week, the Sudbury Health Coalition – concerned about the province passing two bills that would change how long-term care facilities in the province are monitored and can be taken to court – held two protests. One was held on Elm Street in front of […]

Ottawa hospitals pushing for satellite sites in retirement homes

(July 3, 2020) Yahoo News Hospitals in Ottawa are asking the Ontario government to quickly approve plans to create hundreds of new long-term care and transitional beds at local retirement homes in order to free up space for acute-care patients. Both The Ottawa Hospital and the Élisabeth Bruyère Hospital have applied to the Ontario government to […]

Ottawa hospitals pushing for satellite sites in retirement homes

(July 3, 2020) By: Julie Ireton, CBC Ottawa Hospitals in Ottawa are asking the Ontario government to quickly approve plans to create hundreds of new long-term care and transitional beds at local retirement homes in order to free up space for acute-care patients. Both The Ottawa Hospital and the Élisabeth Bruyère Hospital have applied to the […]

Long-term care protest at Garden City Manor gives provincial government a failing grade

(July 3, 2020) By: Bill Sawchuk, The Standard The Ontario Health Coalition held a protest in St. Catharines Friday and gave Premier Doug Ford’s government a failing mark on long-term care in Ontario. “We want better care and funding for long-term care residents and staff workers,” said Sue Hotte, Niagara Health Coalition chair. “What we […]

Health rally scheduled for Thursday; Local briefs

(July 2, 2020) By: Sudbury Star (Print Edition) Health advocates in Sudbury will join others across the province tomorrow in demanding better care for seniors. “Events will include updates on the Ford government’s failure to respond to the crisis in long-term care (and) their attempt to push through Bill 175, the new law that privatizes […]

A call to action for long-term care

(July 2, 2020) By: Michael Swan, The Catholic Register With almost 80 per cent of COVID-19 deaths in Canada occurring in long-term care facilities, there will need to be a reckoning of just how these homes should operate in the future. Catholics are getting ready to play a role in the post-COVID look at what […]

Advocacy group staging protests against new Provincial Bill

(July 2, 2020) By: Matt Dionne, Inbrampton The Ontario Health Coalition (OHC) is staging protests across the province in relation to a new bill proposed by the Ford government. Bill 175 would privatize and remove oversight for home and community care, while Bill 161 would make it harder to launch class-action lawsuits against private companies, including […]

Advocacy group staging protests against new provincial long-term care bill

(July 2, 2020) By: Matt Dionne, Insauga The Ontario Health Coalition (OHC) is staging protests across the province in relation to a new bill proposed by the Ford government. Bill 175 would privatize and remove oversight for home and community care, while Bill 161 would make it harder to launch class-action lawsuits against private companies, including […]

Public health care under threat says London Health Coalition

(July 2, 2020) By: Bryan Bicknell, CTV News London LONDON, ONT. — Demonstrators gathered outside Covent Garden Market Thursday to protest a bill they say could lead to the end of public health care as we know it. “We’re very concerned that if home care gets privatized the last vestiges of what we have in […]

Advocacy group staging protests against new Ontario bill

(July 2, 2020) By: Matt Dionne, Inhalton The Ontario Health Coalition (OHC) is staging protests across the province in relation to a new bill proposed by the Ford government. Bill 175 would privatize and remove oversight for home and community care, while Bill 161 would make it harder to launch class-action lawsuits against private companies, including […]

Inaction on long-term care focus of Thurs. rallies

(July 1, 2020) By: Sudbury Star Staff Protesters demand better care for seniors at a June 24 rally organized by the Sudbury chapter of the Ontario Health Coalition. The same group will be holding more rallies tomorrow (Thursday) outside the Rainbow Centre and on Barrydowne Road. John Lappa/Sudbury Star Health advocates in Sudbury will join […]

Ontario’s ombudsman received more than 800 complaints due to COVID-19

(June 30, 2020) By: Rob Ferguson, Northumberland News Ontario Ombudsman Paul Dube also launched an investigation June 1 into the provincial government’s oversight of nursing homes and released his annual report this week. – Dan Pearce Ontario ombudsman Paul Dubé says his investigation into the high death toll from COVID-19 at nursing homes is looking […]

Ontario’s ombudsman received more than 800 complaints due to COVID-19

(June 30, 2020) By: Rob Ferguson, Orangeville.com Ontario Ombudsman Paul Dube also launched an investigation June 1 into the provincial government’s oversight of nursing homes and released his annual report this week. – Dan Pearce Ontario ombudsman Paul Dubé says his investigation into the high death toll from COVID-19 at nursing homes is looking at […]

Advocacy groups declare anti-Black racism a public health crisis

(June 30, 2020) By: Lily Huang, The Charlatan Protestors gather on Wellington street in front of Parliament for the protest. [Photo by Tim Austen] Anti-Black racism is a systemic issue that affects all facets of life for the Black community, including their health. Several organizations in Canada declared anti-Black racism a public health crisis within […]

Advocacy group urging Province to resume releasing COVID-19 data for health care settings

(June 28, 2020) By: Matt Dionne, Inhalton Since the COVID-19 outbreak began in Ontario, the Ontario Health Coalition (OHC) has been tracking the spread of the virus in health care settings. Additionally, the OHC has been comparing their data with Public Health Ontario’s data and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care’s data. Based on their most […]

Homecare disaster looming on the horizon

(June 27, 2020) By: Roma Smith, North Bay Nugget (Print Edition) To the editor: While we are distracted by the horrors happening in long-term care, the Doug Ford government is ramming a bill through the legislature that will lead to the privatization of homecare. In the 1990s, the Conservative government turned long-term care over to […]

Ottawa At Work with Leslie Roberts for Wednesday June 24th, 2020

(June 24, 2020) By: Leslie Roberts, 580 CFRA Ottawa At Work with Leslie Roberts for Wednesday June 24th, 2020 interview with Natalie Mehra (begins 7:35). Click here for original clip

New provincial bill could change how home care is delivered, Waterloo region health advocate warns

(June 27, 2020) By: Kate Bueckert, CBC news Kitchener-Waterloo Health advocates are warning a new provincial bill could make big changes the way home care is delivered in Ontario. (DGLimages/Shutterstock) A new bill could change how home care is delivered in the province and could even pave the way for privatization, says one Waterloo region health advocate. But […]

Protesters demand fixes in long-term care homes; Local advocates slam the Ontario’s new long-term care legislation

(June 25, 2020) By: Mark Malone, Chatham Daily News Dental hygienist Pat Lambier says she’s seen oral problems in local long-term care homes as appalling as those she faced in Indonesian refugee camps. “It was like a Third World country,” she said. Lambier stopped working in Southwestern Ontario homes six or seven years ago, but […]

Citizens rally for seniors care

(June 25, 2020) By: Mary Katherine Keown, Sudbury Star They rallied in the rain to make their voices heard. A half-dozen supporters of the Ontario Health Coalition braved Wednesday’s cold rain and assembled at the Elm Street offices of the Northeast Local Health Integration Network Wednesday afternoon to show their concern for Bill 175. The […]

Ontario Health Coalition calls for action on long-term care; Chair says advocacy group opposed to ‘hastily written’Bill 175

(June 25, 2020) By: Paul Morden, Sarnia Observer Ontario should immediately launch a public inquiry into longterm care and withdraw its legislation to change the province’s home-care system, says the local chairperson of the Ontario Health Coalition. Shirley Roebuck, who also sits on the provincial board of the group advocating for public health care, spoke […]

Ford government defeats amendment to remove profits from home care

(June 24, 2020) By: Zaid Noorsumar, RankandFile The Ontario PC government of Premier Doug Ford has rejected the Official Opposition’s call to remove profits from the province’s home care sector. During the standing committee meetings for Bill 175 on Monday and Tuesday, the government struck down all of the amendments proposed by the opposition parties. The NDP […]

PROTESTS AGAINST BILL 175 TODAY

(June 24, 2020) By: Tami Jeanneret, iHeart Radio Members and supporters of the Ontario Health Coalition will be staging several noon hour protests today. The protests at MPP’s offices and Queen’s Park are aimed at Bill 175, a plan the group says will restructure and privatize home care while refusing to address critical care and […]

Bill to privatize home care being rushed through, health advocates say

(June 24, 2020) By: Angela Gemmill, CBC News Currently all publicly-funded home care service in Ontario is assessed and then provided through the 14 Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs). (DGLimages/Shutterstock) Advocates of publicly funding health care are sounding the alarm bells over new legislation under debate at Queens Park, which would restructure and privatize home […]

Younger disabled people hurt by ‘patchwork system of long-term care’

(June 24, 2020) By: John Loeppky, ricochet I think the solution is to get out. When the house is on fire, you get out the house, you don’t stay put.” That’s what Jonathan Marchand, a resident in a long-term care facility in Quebec, has to say when asked about the predicament facing people with disabilities […]

Protesters demand improvements in long-term care homes

(June 24, 2020) By: Mark Malone, Chatham Daily News Chatham-Kent Health Coalition chairperson Shirley Roebuck speaks during a protest about issues in long-term care homes outside MPP Rick Nicholls’s office in Chatham, Ont., on Wednesday, June 24, 2020. Mark Malone/Chatham Daily News/Postmedia Network Dental hygienist Pat Lambier says she’s seen oral problems in local long-term […]

Advocacy group urging Province to resume releasing COVID-19 data for health care settings

(June 24, 2020) By: Matt Dionne, inbrampton Since the COVID-19 outbreak began in Ontario, the Ontario Health Coalition (OHC) has been tracking the spread of the virus in health care settings. Additionally, the OHC has been comparing their data with Public Health Ontario’s data and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care’s data. Based on their most recent report, the […]

Bill 175 to ‘modernize’ delivery of home-care services: Nicholls

(June 24, 2020) By: Chatham Voice Staff, The Chatham Voice With members of the Chatham-Kent Health Coalition (CKHC) poised to picket outside his offices today, local MPP Rick Nicholls commented on their areas of concern. The CKHC and the Ontario Health Coalition are picketing over Bill 175, the Connecting People to Home and Community Care […]

Ontario Health Coalition calls for action on long-term care

(June 24, 2020) By: Paul Morden, The Observer Shirley Roebuck, with the Ontario Health Coalition, stands outside the constituency office Sarnia-Lambton MPP Bob Bailey. PAUL MORDEN / THE OBSERVER Ontario should immediately launch a public inquiry into long-term care and withdraw its legislation to change the province’s home-care system, says the local chairperson of the […]

Ontario Health Coalition calls for action on long-term care

(June 24, 2020) By: Paul Morden, Sarnia Observer Ontario should immediately launch a public inquiry into long-term care and withdraw its legislation to change the province’s home-care system, says the local chairperson of the Ontario Health Coalition. Shirley Roebuck, who also sits on the provincial board of the group advocating for public health care, spoke […]

Health Coalition says new bill will lead to more privatization of home care

(June 24, 2020) By: Doug Diaczuk, tbnewswatch.com THUNDER BAY – The Ontario Health Coalition is raising the alarm about legislation proposed by the Ford government that it says will open the door to more privatization of home care and long-term care in the province. The Ontario Health Coalition held rallies in 12 cities across Ontario, […]

Demonstration against Bill 175

(June 24, 2020) By: Melanie Irwin, blackburnnews.com Sarnia-Lambton Health Coalition Chair Shirley Roebuck and Steve Clendenning with Unifor Local 914, taking part in a province-wide day of action to bring attention to Bill 175. 24 June 2020. (BlackburnNews.com photo by Colin Gowdy) There was only a couple of people at a demonstration outside Sarnia-Lambton MPP […]

Demonstrators call for more sober second thought on new Ontario home care bill

(June 24, 2020) By: Len Gillis, sudbury.com A steady sprinkle of rain in downtown Sudbury didn’t dampen the spirits of a small but passionate group of protesters who believe Premier Doug Ford is steering his government in the wrong direction with Bill 175, known as the Connecting People to Home and Community Care Act, 2020. […]

Protesters rally against province’s community and home care bill

(June 24, 2020) By: Katherine Hill, CTV News KITCHENER — Protesters rallied in Kitchener on Wednesday against the Ford government’s proposed bill to change how home care operates in the province. The group gathered along King Street in Kitchener, near local MPP Amy Fee’s office. Organizers said they’re concerned Bill 175 will restructure and privatize […]

Protesters call for pause on health-care bill

(June 24, 2020) By: Chris Seto, The Record KITCHENER — Motivated by fears around further privatization of health care in Ontario, members of the Waterloo Region Health Coalition held a rally Wednesday in Kitchener to sound the alarm over Bill 175. Starting at noon, more than 20 people spread out along King Street East near […]

Protesters demand improvements in long-term care homes

(June 24, 2020) By: Mark Malone, Chatham Daily News Dental hygienist Pat Lambier says she’s seen oral problems in local long-term care homes as appalling as those she faced in Indonesian refugee camps. “It was like a Third World country,” she said. Lambier stopped working in Southwestern Ontario homes six or seven years ago, but […]

Local protesters join province-wide opposition to Bill 175

(June 24, 2020) By: Tony Saxon, Guelph Today A small group of people gathered in Downtown Guelph Wednesday at noon to protest what they feel is a very big issue: Bill 175. There were 15 people gathered outside Old Quebec Street Shoppes, most of them members of the local chapter of the Ontario Health Coalition, […]

Protesters to demand action

(June 24, 2020) By: Sudbury Star Staff, Sudbury Staff A protest will be held in Sudbury today as part of a series of demonstrations across Ontario concerning the staffing shortage in long-term care homes. The Ontario Health Coalition protest will take place outside the North East Local Health Integration Network offices in the Rainbow Centre, […]

Citizens rally for seniors care

(June 24, 2020) By: Mary Katherine Keown, The Sudbury Star Pat Byrne, right, takes part in a protest organized by the Sudbury chapter of the Ontario Health Coalition on Wednesday. JOHN LAPPA/SUDBURY STAR They rallied in the rain to make their voices heard. A half-dozen supporters of the Ontario Health Coalition braved Wednesday’s cold rain […]

Local protesters join province-wide opposition to Bill 175 (5 photos)

(June 24, 2020) By: Tony Saxon, GuelphToday A small group of people gathered in Downtown Guelph Wednesday at noon to protest what they feel is a very big issue: Bill 175. There were 15 people gathered outside Old Quebec Street Shoppes, most of them members of the local chapter of the Ontario Health Coalition, a […]

Demonstrators call for more sober second thought on new Ontario home care bill

(June 24, 2020) By: Len Gillis, Sudbury.com Dot Klein, co-chair of the Sudbury chapter of the Ontario Health Coalition, holds a sign alongside supporters demonstrating against Ontario’s new home care bill. (Len Gillis/Sudbury.com) A steady sprinkle of rain in downtown Sudbury didn’t dampen the spirits of a small but passionate group of protesters who believe […]

Families demand better support for nursing homes

(June 24, 2020) By: CTV News Analysis Ontario long-term care homes are continuing to struggle amid the COVID-19 pandemic as families ask the province to better support homes. Click here for original video

PROTESTS AGAINST BILL 175 TODAY

(June 24, 2020) By: Tami Jeanneret, iHeartRadio Photo: iStock/rclassenlayouts Members and supporters of the Ontario Health Coalition will be staging several noon hour protests today. The protests at MPP’s offices and Queen’s Park are aimed at Bill 175, a plan the group says will restructure and privatize home care while refusing to address critical care […]

Bill 175 to ‘modernize’ delivery of home-care services: Nicholls

(June 24, 2020) By: The Chatham Voice With members of the Chatham-Kent Health Coalition (CKHC) poised to picket outside his offices today, local MPP Rick Nicholls commented on their areas of concern. The CKHC and the Ontario Health Coalition are picketing over Bill 175, the Connecting People to Home and Community Care Act. They said […]

Sudbury protesters rally against Ontario Bill 175

(June 24, 2020) By: Ian Campbell, CTV News SUDBURY — A dozen protesters braved the bleak weather on Wednesday to send a message to Premier Doug Ford: they want Bill 175 scrapped. Armed with signs, they gathered outside the Rainbow Centre over the noon hour calling for action. “We are demanding that the Ford government withdraw Bill […]

Health Coalition says new bill will lead to more privatization of home care

COVID-19: We Need an Ethical Compass For Fixing Long-Term Care in Canada

(June 23, 2020) By: David Pfrimmer, Zoomer Canada’s military recently reported the living conditions in some of the country’s long-term care homes “appeared to be nothing short of horrid and inhumane.” As many as 82 per cent of all COVID-19 deaths in Canada have been connected to long-term care facilities. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was angry, sad and […]

Wednesday protests: Health coalition says proposed home care changes could ‘destabilize’ system

(June 23, 2020) By: Len Gillis, sudbury.com The Ontario Health Coalition (OHC), a group that lobbies for full publicly funded health care, has organized a province-wide day of protest for this Wednesday, June 24 which includes noon-hour rallies in downtown Sudbury and New Sudbury. The concern by OHC is that the Ontario government is trying to […]

Advocacy group staging protests against Bill related to long-term care facilities

(June 23, 2020) By: Matt Dionne, inthehammer The Ontario Health Coalition (OHC) is concerned about the Province’s inaction regarding long-term care facilities. In a release, the OHC expressed concerns regarding several deaths of long-term care facility residents for preventable reasons such as malnutrition and insufficient care. Some facilities were in such bad shape, the military had […]

Health-care protest slated for Wednesday in Chatham

(June 23, 2020) By: Bruce Corcoran, The Chatham Voice Chatham-Kent Health Coalition (CKHC) members and others aren’t happy with a proposed government bill, and they’ll be protesting Wednesday outside our local MPP’s Chatham office. Shirley Roebuck of the CKHC said the issue is Bill 175, the Connecting People to Home and Community Care Act. The […]

‘Righteous rage’: Woodbridge families share pain, anger after COVID-19 crisis

(June 23, 2020) By: Kim Zarzour, YorkRegion.com Earlier this month, the province seized control and called in the armed forces to help as COVID-19 ravaged residents in the 224-bed Woodbridge Vista long-term-care home. Vista is not the only long-term-care facility that is in dire straits right now — just the latest. It’s the sixth home […]

Letters: Provincial homecare plans; federal support for seniors

(June 23, 2020) By: Sudbury Star Staff, Sudbury Star Homecare disaster is looming on the horizon While we are distracted by the horrors happening in long-term care, the Ford government is ramming a bill through the legislature that will lead to the privatization of homecare. In the 1990s the Conservative government turned long-term care over […]

Homecare disaster is looming on the horizon

(June 23, 2020) By: Roma Smith, Sudbury Star While we are distracted by the horrors happening in long-term care, the Ford government is ramming a bill through the legislature that will lead to the privatization of homecare. In the 1990s the Conservative government turned long-term care over to private, for-profit businesses. The outcome of that […]

PROTEST AGAINST PROPOSED CHANGES TO ONTARIO COMMUNITY CARE ACT

(June 23, 2020) By: Tami Jeanneret, iHeartRadio Niagara West MPP Sam Oosterhoff will be greeted by protestors if he heads to work tomorrow at his Beamsville office. Members of the Ontario Health Coalition will be demonstrating in front of MPP’s offices across the province tomorrow, starting at noon, as well as on the lawn of […]

Health-care protest slated for Wednesday in Chatham

We need an ethical compass for fixing long-term care during the COVID-19 crisis

(June 22, 2020) By: David Primmer, Cape Breton Post Canada’s military recently reported the living conditions in some of the country’s long-term care homes “appeared to be nothing short of horrid and inhumane.” As many as 82 per cent of all COVID-19 deaths in Canada have been connected to long-term care facilities. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was angry, […]

Health care coalition questions home care bill

(June 22, 2020) By: Mike Aiken, DrydenNow Natalie Mehra of the Ontario Health Care Coalition has concerns about Bill 175. It would restructure home and community care under the umbrella of the provincial health teams. “How is it going to work in northern Ontario, where there are these large populations spread out over huge geography […]

LETTER: Saultite concerned about Bill 175

(June 22, 2020) By: SooToday Staff Marie is an Ontario Health Coalition member from Sault Ste. Marie. Stock image Bill 175, entitled ‘Connecting People to Home and Community Care Act 2020′, is an act that would, if passed, overhaul the present system of home care. Saultite Marie DellaVedova writes of her concern that the Ford government […]

Health care coalition questions home care bill

(June 22, 2020) By: Mike Aiken, KenoraOnline Natalie Mehra of the Ontario Health Care Coalition raises concerns about Bill 175. (Submitted) Natalie Mehra of the Ontario Health Care Coalition has concerns about Bill 175. It would restructure home and community care under the umbrella of the provincial health teams. “How is it going to work […]

Open Letter about Bill 175

(June 22, 2020) By: SaultOnline Letter to the Editor – Bill 175 “Have you heard about Bill 175, the Connecting People to Home and Community Care Act 2020? In the midst of a pandemic and the struggle to contain it, the Ontario government is proposing to overhaul the present system of home care. We are […]

We need an ethical compass for fixing long-term care during the COVID-19 crisis

(June 21, 2020) By: David Pfrimmer, The Conversation Canada’s military recently reported the living conditions in some of the country’s long-term care homes “appeared to be nothing short of horrid and inhumane.” As many as 82 per cent of all COVID-19 deaths in Canada have been connected to long-term care facilities. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was angry, sad […]

We must let our outrage drive real change in care for vulnerable citizens

(June 21, 2020) By: Linda Till, The Hamilton Spectator No one I know of is eagerly awaiting the day when they will be placed in a long-term-care facility. Quite the contrary — people repeatedly express a desire to remain living in their own homes as they age. But the system currently offers little to no […]

Coronavirus: Nursing homes begin refilling beds emptied by pandemic, worrying families

(June 19, 2020) By: Stewart Bell and Andrew Russell, Global News The Markhaven nursing home lost 17 residents to the coronavirus, but now that its outbreak has been declared over, the management has told families it is refilling beds emptied by the pandemic. “We’re going to start admitting new residents this week, and will continue to […]

Former Ontario premier Mike Harris is raking in profits from the long-term care system he helped create

(June 18, 2020) By: Jan Malek, rabble.ca Twenty-five years ago, Mike Harris and his Progressive Conservative party ousted Bob Rae’s NDP government in Ontario, starting the so-called “common sense revolution.” Pledging to tackle Ontario’s deficit, the Harris government pushed tax reductions and slashed public spending on health care, education and social services. The government closed […]

“It is a New Low” Behaviour of Government MPPs in Home Care Legislation Public Hearings Unprecedented and Unacceptable says Ontario Health Coalition

(June 18, 2020) By: Exchange Magazine “In addition, we have never heard or seen before MPPs cutting off presenters and telling them that they must answer only “yes” or “no” to trick questions that do not have a clear yes or no answer. It is a new low in what is supposed to be a […]

Advocacy group urging province to scrap new health care bill

(June 17, 2020) By: Matt Dionne, insauga Cover photo courtesy of @kathaforunifor’s Twitter A new Bill proposed by the Province could have a negative impact on home and community care according to an advocacy group. According to a news release from the Ontario Health Coalition (OHC), the new Bill: “Guts existing home and community care legislation, dismantles public […]

Coronavirus: Ontario’s worst hit nursing homes and who owns them

(June 16, 2020) By: Stewart Bell and Andrew Russell, Global News Almost a third of the Ontario nursing home residents who have died of COVID-19 were living at facilities owned by just two corporate chains, according to a Global News analysis of government statistics. Sienna Senior Living and Revera Inc. long-term care facilities have lost […]

Critics say province should slow down plans to revamp home care

(June 15, 2020) By: Elizabeth Payne, Sudbury Star Ontario says it is breathing new life into an outdated system, but critics say the province’s plan to revamp home care in the middle of a pandemic is reckless and will cause further chaos for those most affected by COVID-19. In March, critics complained the Ontario government […]

Critics say province should slow down plans to turn home care on its head

(June 13, 2020) By: Elizabeth Payne, Ottawa Citizen Natalie Mehra is executive director of the Ontario Health Coalition. JOHN LAPPA / Postmedia Ontario says it is breathing new life into an outdated system, but critics say the province’s plan to revamp home care in the middle of a pandemic is reckless and will cause further chaos […]

Ford government moving to privatize health care, reader says

(June 11, 2020) By: Lindsay Advocate I am beyond disgusted at the Ford government. Premier Doug Ford is moving ahead with Bill 175, which seeks to privatize home health care — even as he cries crocodile tears over the horrible conditions at long-term care homes. As citizens of this country, we have worked, paid taxes […]

Ontario Health Coalition Calls on Government to Implement Repeated Recommendations to Improve Conditions in Long-Term Care Homes

By: Today’s Northumberland The Ontario Health Coalition, which has released major reports annually on the state of long-term care in Ontario in recent years, expressed its frustration upon reading the description of infection control practices at the facilities to which military personnel were dispatched. The Coalition has called on the Ford government repeatedly to improve […]

Long-term care concerns not new

(June 10, 2020) By: Karen Gventer, Owen Sound Sun Times (Print Edition) The government’s failure to provide safe, quality care to seniors in this province is disappointing, but hardly a surprise. Health-care workers, and the wider labour movement, have been sounding the alarm for many years. In particular, the Ontario Health Coalition has been raising […]

Soldiers may be called to testify in lawsuits against long-term care homes

(June 9, 2020) By: Marc Montgomery, Radio Canada International (en) When coronavirus cases began to mount across the country in mid-March, long-term care facilities for the elderly and those needing constant care were particularly hard hit. Most of these facilities are privately run by for-profit companies. Many of the elderly in the homes soon began […]

Report finds patients of colour less likely to get pain meds among racial issues plaguing health care

(June 9, 2020) By: Len Gillis, Sudbury.com Ontario Health Coalition cites numerous studies showing the amount of pain relief can depend on a person’s skin tone The amount of pain relief a person receives can often depend on their skin tone, stated a report by the Ontario Health Coalition released this month, citing studies from […]

“We need a public, not-for-profit home care system”

(June 9, 2020) By: Zaid Noorsumar, RANKANDLIFE.CA Ontario’s new home and community care legislation will likely become law by the end of the month with virtually no public consultation, even as it impacts over 700,000 annual care recipients who require personal support services, nursing care, physiotherapy and other services. Instead of addressing the myriad problems that have plagued the system […]

Racism against Black people a public health crisis, says Ontario health coalition

(June 8, 2020) By: Meredith MacLeod, CTV News TORONTO — As protesters around the world continue to take to the streets to demand an end to violence and oppression aimed at Black people, a coalition of Black community health leaders is calling on the Ontario government to declare anti-Black racism a public health crisis. “Our […]

‘Tragic’ COVID-19 deaths not unexpected, Hirji says

(June 7, 2020) By: Allan Benner, Niagara Falls Review Garden City Manor on Scott Street in St. Catharines is one of two Niagara long-term care homes currently experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks. – Bob Tymczyszyn , Torstar While the number of COVID-19 outbreaks in health-care facilities across the province has begun to stabilize, a new Ontario Health […]

COUPLE’S DEATHS, MINUTES APART, A REMINDER THE PANDEMIC ISN’T OVER, SAYS TORONTO DOCTOR

(June 6, 2020) By: Meredith MacLeod, iHeartRadio A husband and wife died in a hospital room of COVID-19 Thursday just three minutes apart. “This pandemic is only over for people who don’t survive it,” wrote Toronto physician Dr. Abdu Sharkawy in a tweet Friday about the couple’s death. He hopes to convince those believing the […]

Long-Term Care Protest at Piccini’s Office

(June 25, 2020) By: Bill Hornbostel, Port Hope Now The contents of Bill 161 & Bill 175 focus of Northumberland Health Coalition Article and image by Bill Hornbostel At noon on Wednesday, June 24, a small group of protestors gathered in front of MPP David Piccini’s office located on Peter Street in Port Hope. Responding […]

Des milliers de travailleurs de la santé canadiens infectés par le COVID-19 en raison du manque d’EPI

(June 2, 2020) By: Omar Ali, World Socialist Web Site La négligence en matière de soins de santé au Canada par une élite dirigeante indifférente à la vie des travailleurs peut se manifester de manière particulièrement aiguë au cours de la présente pandémie par l’incapacité à fournir au personnel médical, même en première ligne, un […]

Profit motive blamed in long-term care crisis

(June 4, 2020) By: Michael Swan, The Catholic Register The 88-year-old godmother of palliative care in Ontario knows exactly what’s wrong with long-term care in the province. Much of it is motivated by profit. “The profit motive is — what do I want to call it? — something that sets fire to the concept of […]

Action needed now on long-term care

(June 4, 2020) By: Nancy Johnson and Roma Smith, Sudbury Star The following is an open letter to Premier Doug Ford and cabinet regarded expedited action to achieve short-and long-term safety and wellbeing of long-term care residents. The Northeast Family Councils Network, a grassroots group of volunteers from long-term care Family Councils in Northeast Ontario’s […]

Lack of funding at heart of long-term care home issues: County official

(June 3, 2020) By: Shane MacDonald, Orilla Matters The COVID-19 pandemic has ravaged Ontario’s long-term-care homes, but experts and industry members say the conditions that let it happen have been an issue for decades. A Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) report detailing findings in five Ontario long-term-care homes released May 26 found that residents were living in […]

Unifor applauds investigation of Ontario’s oversight of long-term care during pandemic

(June 3, 2020) By: News Wire TORONTO, June 3, 2020 /CNW/ – Unifor applauds the decision of the Ontario Ombudsman to investigate the provincial government’s oversight of long-term care homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. “One thing that we know for certain is that this pandemic publicly exposed the precariousness of the long-term care system that we have […]

Ontario health leaders call on province to declare anti-Black racism public health crisis

(June 3, 2020) By: Nick Westoll, Global News A coalition of Black community health leaders and organizations is calling on the Ontario government to declare anti-Black racism a public health crisis as protests continue across North America. “Our communities are grieving. This moment is unprecedented, yet in many ways we have been here before,” a recent joint statement issued […]

Unifor applauds investigation of Ontario’s oversight of long-term care during pandemic

(June 3, 2020) By: Stockhouse TORONTO, June 3, 2020 /CNW/ – Unifor applauds the decision of the Ontario Ombudsman to investigate the provincial government’s oversight of long-term care homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. “One thing that we know for certain is that this pandemic publicly exposed the precariousness of the long-term care system that we have been […]

The ‘revolving door’ between Ontario’s PCs and the for-profit seniors care industry worst hit by coronavirus

(June 3, 2020) By: Samuel Helguero, The Post Millennial For decades, long-term care homes have been operated by non-profits, municipalities, or for-profit companies. It was the Chair of Chartwell Retirement Residences, and former Premier, Mike Harris, that started the for-profit boom in Ontario. With Harris’ introduction of a competitive bidding process for home care services […]

UNIFOR welcomes Ombudsman probe of provincial long term care oversight

(June 3, 2020) By: Janice MacKay, BlackburnNews Unifor welcomed an Ontario Ombudsman investigation into the provincial government’s oversight of long-term care homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Unifor National President Jerry Dias said the pandemic publicly exposed the precariousness of the long-term care system. He added if nursing homes were properly staffed, especially with personal support […]

COVID-19 highlights ‘systemic issues of inadequate care,’ says advocacy group

(June 3, 2020) By: Shane MacDonald, Bradford Today The COVID-19 pandemic has ravaged Ontario’s long-term-care homes, but experts and industry members say the conditions that let it happen have been an issue for decades. A Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) report detailing findings in five Ontario long-term-care homes released May 26 found that residents were living in […]

Ford Government ’s Home Care Changes Dismantle Public Control, Risk Privatization: Health Coalition

(June 2, 2020) By: Exchange Magazine In a press conference at the Ontario Legislature from early March, spokespeople for the Ontario Health Coalition raised concerns about the Ford government’s new home care legislation that the Health Coalition reported is being rushed through the legislature at break – neck speed. The Bill, Connecting People to Home […]

Thousands of Canadian medical workers infected with COVID-19 due to lack of PPE

(June 1, 2020) By: Omar Ali, World Socialist Web Site The neglect of health care in Canada by a ruling elite that is indifferent to the lives of working people can be seen most acutely during the present pandemic in the failure to provide even frontline medical staff with adequate personal protective equipment (PPE). This […]

Military’s report paints a grim picture of Ontario’s long-term care system

(June 1, 2020) By: Nate Smelle, Bancroft this Week With the death toll in Ontario’s long-term care facilities due to COVID-19 rising fast, on April 22 the provincial government decided it was time to seek assistance from the Canadian Armed Forces. At this time, Ontario’s Associate Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Barbara Yaffe reported […]

Fighting Covid-19: International Lessons and Warnings

(May 29, 2020) Health Campaigns Together and Keep Our NHS Publicinvite you to hear from our allies from Europe, Canada, USA and the UK, to help us learn from the tragic, but very different, experiences of how health services and politicians have responded to the Covid19 pandemic around the world Click here for original video

How has COVID-19 impacted non-profits? We check in with six Ontario charities

(May 31, 2020) By: Megan DeLaire, Durham Region Ontario’s non-profit sector may be the largest in Canada, contributing $50 million to the provincial economy, but it’s not immune to the viral pandemic that has shut the province down. We reached out to some charities to find out how they are doing three months into the […]

Province ‘should have known’ state of long-term care

(May 31, 2020) By: Andrew Duffy, North Bay Nugget Advocates for Ontario’s long-term care residents say Premier Doug Ford and his government should have known which long-term care homes would be most at risk in a pandemic based on years of inspection reports, risk modelling and bed classifications. In an interview, NDP health critic France […]

Fact Check & Briefing Note on Inspections in Ontario’s Long-Term Care Homes

(May 31, 2020) By: Ontario Health Coalition TORONTO, June 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Ontario Health Coalition, which has advocated for more than two decades for annual unannounced full resident quality inspections of all long-term care homes, issued a fact checker to clarify what has happened with the homes’ inspection and enforcement regimen. The […]

Pandemic should push change in long-term care; Advocates say there is no going back now that inadequacies have been highlighted

(May 30, 2020) By: Elizabeth Payne, Ottawa Citizen Once the novel coronavirus has been tamed or eradicated and the world returns to “normal,” what will that look like? Will COVID-19 fundamentally and permanently alter our lives? In an occasional series, this newspaper examines the potential lasting effects of the pandemic on how we live, work […]

Health Coalition seeks commission into long-term care homes

(May 30, 2020) By: Jake Romphf, Chatham Daily News The Ontario Health Coalition is asking the recently announced commission into long-term care homes be independent of operators and owners while calling for a public inquiry into the province’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Shirley Roebuck, chair of the Chatham-Kent, Sarnia, Wallaceburg and Walpole Island First […]

How the pandemic might spur real change in Ontario’s long-term care homes

(May 30, 2020) By: Elizabeth Payne, Regina Leader- Post The COVID-19 crisis has shone a devastating light on one of Ontario’s worst kept secrets: The province’s system of caring for the elderly is underfunded, inadequately staffed and badly designed. COVID-19 exploited those vulnerabilities. Could it also be the push that changes long-term care in Ontario? […]

Laying It Out: Great news, we’re trading seniors for profit

(May 30, 2020) By: Medicine Hat News Let me see if I have this right… The good news is only old people are dying, and the vast majority of those old people are in long-term care facilities that I don’t even need to go to. Let’s live it up! We used to acknowledge the fact […]

COVID-19 and the Crisis in Long-Term Care in Ontario

(May 30, 2020) By: Socialist Project The Ontario Health Coalition sent an open letter to Ontario Premier Doug Ford signed by family councils, health professionals, social organizations, cultural organizations, seniors’ and retirees’ groups, health coalitions, legal clinics, and many others who collectively represent more than 1.5 million Ontarians. Almost unbelievably, the Ford government is rushing […]

How the pandemic might spur real change in Ontario’s long-term care homes

(May 30, 2020) By: Elizabeth Payne, The Sudbury Star The COVID-19 crisis has shone a devastating light on one of Ontario’s worst kept secrets: The province’s system of caring for the elderly is underfunded, inadequately staffed and badly designed. COVID-19 exploited those vulnerabilities. Could it also be the push that changes long-term care in Ontario? […]

Who owns the 5 Ontario long-term care homes cited by military for extreme neglect, abuse?

(May 29, 2020) By: Andrew Russell & Stewart Bell, Global News Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to remove a reference to Southbridge Care Homes operating Pinecrest nursing home in Bobcagyeon, Ont. The company owns Pinecrest nursing home in Plantagenet, Ont. A searing report from Canada’s military into Ontario’s troubled long-term-care system where over 1,600 people […]

Health Coalition seeks independent commission into long-term care homes

(May 29, 2020) By: Robin Harvey, Sarnia Observer The Ontario Health Coalition is asking that the recently announced commission into long-term care (LTC) homes be independent of their operators and owners, and is also calling for a public commission into the province’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Shirley Roebuck, chair of the Chatham-Kent, Sarnia, Wallaceburg […]