OCSA Statement on Ontario Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review
Toronto, Nov 4, 2021
- Today, the Ontario Government released the Ontario Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review: titled “Build Ontario,” which made a commitment to invest $548.5 million over three years in the home and community care sector. A news release of the 2021 Fall Economic Statement can be read here.
This investment will expand home care and community care services, support additional staff including personal support workers and connect patients to the services they require. $61 million was also committed to expand home care services to enable the transition of patients recovering from surgeries or living with complex conditions from hospitals back into their homes. It is our understanding from communication with the Ministry of Health, there will be further investments to come for community support services (CSS). This is welcome news to OCSA and a serious step in the right direction.
The Economic statement also included a WeRPN Bridging Program. Through this program, Ontario is adding 900 registered nurses (RNs) and 700 registered practical nurses (RPNs) to increase nursing capacity to the home and community care sector. The program is upskilling personal support workers to registered practical nurses, and registered practical nurses to registered nurses.
“We appreciate the Ontario government’s willingness to invest in home and community care and launch a bridging program to recruit more RNs and RPNs,” said Deborah Simon, CEO of the Ontario Community Support Association. “Over one million people receive home community care services, and the need is growing. This funding will help enable individuals to receive care at home and in their community which is where Ontarians want to be. However, more must be done to address wage disparities in our sector.”
The health care system is experiencing a dire staffing shortage and the bridging program will support bringing more RPNs and RNs into the home and community care sector. We appreciate the dedicated investment in the Economic Statement to our sector, however, the challenge remains, due to Bill 124, that these investments cannot go into wages beyond one per cent. As we have noted on several occasions, the challenge remains that PSWs and Nurses in the home and community care are the lowest paid in the entire health system. Our sector is experiencing a significant shortage of PSWs and has lost over 3,000 nurses.
This alarming attrition rate of staff is due to these compensation disparities, and organizational capped salaries due to Bill 124, Protecting a Sustainable Public Sector for Future Generations Act, which restricts providers from increasing salaries beyond a one per cent annual pay increase. Both have made recruitment and retention of home and community care staff extremely difficult.
We are pleased to see investment for the sector but will continue to stress to government that without appropriate staffing in our sector, pressure on Long-Term Care will increase as well as our ability to clear hospital post-surgical backlogs. Achieving wage parity for our sector is critical.
About OCSA
Ontario Community Support Association (OCSA) represents close to 230 not-for-profit organizations that provide home care and community support services that help seniors and people with disabilities live independently in their own homes and communities for as long as possible. These compassionate and cost-effective services improve quality of life and prevent unnecessary hospitalizations, emergency room visits and premature institutionalization. They are the key to a sustainable health care system for Ontario. For more information, visit www.ocsa.on.ca
and https://twitter.com/OCSAtweets.
To arrange an interview and more information please contact:
Janice Bedore
Executive Assistant
416-256-3010
1-800-267-6272, ext. 224
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OCSA has partnered with Cowan Benefits™ as our preferred group benefits partner to help member organizations explore flexible, sustainable employee benefits solutions tailored to the community support and not-for-profit sectors. As the OASSIS program transitions, Cowan will provide OCSA members with expert guidance, dedicated support and flexible group benefits options designed to balance affordability, stability and employee wellbeing. Whether organizations are looking for comparable coverage, greater flexibility or a longer-term benefits strategy, Cowan will work with them to identify solutions that meet their needs and support a smooth transition.
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