Ontario failed to meet its legislated target for the average hours of hands-on care provided to long-term care residents this past year, a government document reveals. While the province says it has now exceeded the 2023-24 goal, this achievement came outside the timeframe mandated by a 2021 law.
The Progressive Conservative government is working toward its ultimate target of ensuring residents receive four hours of direct care daily from nurses and personal support workers by March 2025. However, the previous target of three hours and 42 minutes by March 31, 2024, was not met.
Quiet Update Raises Transparency Concerns
This fall, the government discreetly updated its 2020 staffing plan online to note the missed target. Opposition critics, including NDP long-term care critic Wayne Gates, have condemned the lack of public announcement, calling it a “disgraceful” approach to transparency.
The updated document claims the province has increased direct care by 33% since 2021, providing more than an hour of additional care daily through significant investments. However, critics argue these measures have not addressed the root issue: severe staffing shortages.
Staffing Shortages Threaten Progress
Ontario requires an additional 13,200 nurses and 37,700 personal support workers to meet its goals. Attrition rates among personal support workers are as high as 25%, with some union data suggesting an even higher 38% turnover in long-term care homes.
Ricardo McKenzie, director of long-term care for SEIU Healthcare, emphasizes the need for stable, well-paying jobs to retain staff. “Until the government and employers provide middle-class wages, strong benefits, and full-time positions, the turnover will continue to worsen,” he said.
Agency Staffing: A Costly Stopgap
Long-term care homes increasingly rely on costly staffing agencies to fill shifts, spending nearly $1 billion in 2022-23. Agency staff often earn significantly more than regular employees, leading to financial strain without improving care quality.
Lisa Levin, CEO of AdvantAge Ontario, suggests equalizing wages across the health sector to retain workers. “People leave community health jobs for better-paying positions elsewhere, and long-term care homes feel the brunt of this exodus,” she said.
The disparity is particularly evident among registered practical nurses (RPNs), whose exodus has been exacerbated by wage enhancements favoring personal support workers during the pandemic.
Quality of Care vs. Targets
Even if the province achieves its four-hour care target, McKenzie argues that the focus should shift to care quality. “Residents can’t build relationships with their caregivers due to constant staff turnover,” he noted, raising questions about whether meeting the numerical target truly improves residents’ experiences.
Government’s Next Steps
The government acknowledges challenges such as the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, a global shortage of healthcare workers, and the growing aging population. To address these issues, it has increased funding by 6.6%, expanded training programs, and initiated recruitment efforts for long-term care roles.
However, critics remain skeptical. “Adding a few lines to an online document doesn’t count as public reporting,” Gates said. “The government must take this issue seriously if it’s to make meaningful progress.”