Open Letter on PSW Wage Extension
Open Letter on PSW Wage Extension
Download PDFThe Honourable Doug Ford
Premier of Ontario
Premier's Office
Room 281 Legislative Building, Queen's Park
Toronto, ON M7A 1A1
The Honourable Christine Elliott
Deputy Premier and Minister of Health
College Park 5th Floor 777 Bay Street
Toronto, ON M7A 2J3
July 29, 2021
Dear Premier Ford and Deputy Premier Elliott,
The Ontario government’s announcement of the extension to the temporary wage increase was
a welcome and needed respite. However, we were disappointed to see that the measure is set to
expire in less than a month on August 23, and so were more than 21,000 other Ontarians who
have signed our petition calling for PSW wage equality.
Personal Support Workers are the backbone of the health system and PSWs that work in home
and community care allow the most vulnerable Ontarians to live safely in their homes and their
communities, avoid hospitalization and delay admission into long-term care.
PSWs in the home and community care sector are the lowest paid in the Ontario health system
and are making on average 19% less than PSWs in the hospital sector and 9% less than PSWs in
the long-term care sector.
Currently the sector is experiencing a significant shortage of PSWs. Compensation disparities
have led to many PSWs leaving home and community care for work in other sectors, putting an
unsustainable burden on vulnerable Ontarians and their caregivers. Without permanent
changes, this will only get worse.
PSWs deserve wage parity and OCSA encourages the government to listen to the over 21,000
voices calling for Ontario to honour these front-line heroes.
Should you need further information, please contact Janice Bedore, Executive Assistant to the
CEO, at janice.bedore@ocsa.on.ca or 416-256-3021 ext 224.
Sincerely,
Deborah Simon,
CEO, Ontario Community Support Association
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