The Ontario government's Bill 37, the Providing More Care, Protecting Seniors, and Building More Beds Act, 2021, as amended by the Standing Committee, received Royal Assent on Friday December 9, 2021 and now effectively replaces the Long Term Care Homes Act 2007.
Despite intense levels of Advocacy and in-person submissions to the Minister by many organizations, including the Champlain Network, which are involved in Long Term Care in Ontario, the new Act is substantially no different to the act it replaced. The Champlain Network's position was noted in its November 25, 2021 letter to the Standing Committee of the Legislative Assembly: "The CRFCN has long advocated for:
more hours of direct care
adoption of person-centred care models
improved safety for residents and staff
improved physical environments to support person-centred care
better capacity planning
more accountability and transparency
We had hoped that the new Act would bring much needed transformational change to the LTC sector, moving from an institutional, task-based model to one which truly focuses on the resident and their needs for both quality care and quality of life. The Act must recognize that staff must be empowered to build relationships with residents and their families. Sadly, in comparing the new Act with the old Act we see few substantial changes that would bring about this transformational change."
To read about our Advocacy efforts on behalf of a more transformative LTC culture, please see our Advocacy pages: https://www.champlainfamilycouncils.ca/advocacy-submissions-and-letters
