The Government of Ontario announced 16 additional long-term care projects that will add 1,157 new LTC beds in facilities across the province.
Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, made the announcement on March 22, as the Ford government continues to stay the course on their commitment to adding 15,000 new long term care beds in Ontario over five years.
Sudbury's northern neighbours to the west, Sault Ste. Marie, will receive 128 new long-term care beds as part of this latest announcement, while Orillia's Westmount Lodge will receive 160 beds. The Nickel City however, was left out of the latest batch of beds, though Sudbury is still in line for 54 new long-term care beds, which were announced by the Liberal government last spring.
Nickel Belt MPP and health critic France Gélinas says that she's pleased to see the Ford government has held the promise of the previous government when it comes to long-term care beds, but the timeline between announcing beds and actually seeing them rolled out is still years apart.
"You have to realize that they have kept the announcement that had been made by the Liberal government just before they fell, and the announcement is for another 1,100," said Gélinas.
The Liberals had already announced 5,000 beds that would be distributed around the province as part of their commitment to adding 15,000 new beds, and the PC government has picked up the baton since taking office, and the total number of beds announced to date is now 7,232, leaving just shy of 8,000 beds left to allocate.
"The 5,000 announced were per LHIN, but were not specifically announced as to where they would be going as far as whether it would be Extendicare York or where, we knew that there were 232 beds committed to the Northeast LHIN."
Those beds are still in line to be rolled out, as the Ontario government continues their trek towards their goal number of 15,000.
"Between an announcment of an allotment of beds and actually having a bed open up, there are years in between," said Gélinas. "We're still going to see a lot of people who need long-term care who are staying in hospitals. Between making the announcement, and actually getting shovels in the ground and building and staffing and opening, there's years between them."
The 128 beds that have been announced for Sault Ste. Marie are certainly needed, says Gélinas, who wasn't outwardly disappointed to see Sudbury left off this list in this round of beds, but expects that Sudbury will be getting their slice of the pie before all is said and done.
"I have no problem with Sault Ste. Marie getting the 128 beds, they're very needed," said Gélinas. "Greater Sudbury needs more, there are long wait lists, but there are also very long wait lists and Sault Ste. Marie and if you go even further north like Kapuskasing and Hearst it's even longer, like three to four years."
Gélinas expects that those two communities farther north will be in the next announcement, and perhaps Timmins as well.
Work is being done in Sudbury to accommodate the 54 additional beds that were announced for Sudbury as part of the Liberal government's announcement of 5,000 new beds last spring.
A new long-term care facility is being built behind the Wal Mart in the South End, and residents who are presently at Extendicare York will be moved to the new facility when it opens. Extendicare York will then be renovated and the residents at Extendicare Falconbridge will move into the renovated beds at Extendicare York, which will be losing some beds in the renovation.
Projects like these are what need to be undertaken in communities all over the province before any money is seen for the new beds.
"I wouldn't be surprised if we see announcements like this every couple of months, because like I said, between the announcement and the money starting to flow, it's years," said Gélinas. "The owner has to build a home, get it ready, and only once they start to admit residents does the government start to pay. Government doesn't pay for the building and construction. The money comes the minute a resident goes into the bed, and this is how they pay for their homes."
The government contribution is not a small one when it comes to long-term care beds, and at a rate of $90 per resident per day, you are talking about $32,850 per year for one bed.
There is no indication as to when the next group of beds will be announced, but Gélinas expects that Sudbury will be in line for more beds eventually.
"Before the 15,000 are all allocated there better be another allocation for Sudbury or I will be really vocal about this," said Gélinas. "We were in the first announcement, the Soo in this one, I'm guessing that the next one will be further north like Kapuskasing and Hearst, maybe Timmins, but before the other 8,000 beds are rolled out Sudbury had better be in there again."
