Urgent action is needed now to slow COVID 19 cases in Ontario
An open letter to Premier Ford
Monday, Sept. 28, 2020
The Honourable Doug Ford, Premier
Premier's Office
Room 281
Legislative Building, Queen's Park
Toronto, ON
M7A 1A1
Dear Premier,
As new COVID-19 cases have reached 700 today in Ontario, we’re writing to you on behalf of the province’s leading community health care organizations to express our full support of the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA)’s latest statement calling on government to immediately intensify public health measures in certain areas of the province. These include the City of Toronto, all regions of the Greater Toronto Area, and Ottawa.
A return to Stage 2, with restrictions on indoor dining and bars, places of worship, weddings, gyms, movie theatres, and other non-essential businesses, is needed now to continue to keep schools open and prevent a further acceleration of infections. Without public health measures in place to limit opportunities for disease transmission, Ontario will soon see higher numbers of hospitalizations, admissions to intensive care units, significant strain on long-term care homes, community health care agencies, and more deaths.
The members of Community Health Ontario (CHO) agree with the OHA that stronger restrictions are needed now in order to protect our province’s most vulnerable and conserve our health system’s limited resources. We also appreciate and understand that a return to Stage 2 comes at a serious cost to thousands of businesses and their employees.
Further, Ontario’s community health care organizations are critically concerned about the impact that COVID-19 has already had on Ontarians, in particular the trauma endured by those on the front line of care and who have lost love ones. We also know from the first wave of COVID that the virus disproportionately impacts racialized and lower-income people. We must stress that unless action is taken now to slow the second wave, we risk not having the capacity to provide the care that those impacted need.
These are specific and actionable measures that we believe are the best immediate actions to reduce the devastating impact of a second wave. These measures are the best chance we have to protect the continued availability of our health care services and public education system. We need the government to take decisive action to slow the spread immediately.
For the benefit of all Ontarians, we respectfully request that, based on the advice of Ontario’s best health care professionals, quick action is taken to return to Stage 2 so we can limit the impact of the second wave.
Sincerely,
Adrienne Spafford, CEO, Addictions and Mental Health Ontario
Kimberly Moran, CEO, Children's Mental Health Ontario
Deborah Simon, CEO, Ontario Community Support Association
Camille Quenneville, CEO, Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario
Adrianna Tetley, CEO, Alliance for Healthier Communities
Lisa Levin, CEO, AdvantAge Ontario
CC: Hon. Christine Elliott, Minister of Health
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Toronto, ON – June 30, 2026 – Nearly 700 Ontarians are currently waiting in hospital for home care or community support services to be arranged before they can safely return home, according to data available from Ontario Health. The Ontario Community Support Association (OCSA) says the figures demonstrate the growing urgency of investing in the services that make aging at home possible. These findings come as new data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) highlight ongoing emergency department pressures across Canada and as more than 45,000 Ontarians remain on long-term care waitlists in the community. Together, these numbers point to a fundamental shift occurring across Ontario's healthcare system: more people are living longer at home, often with increasingly complex needs, while demand for community-based care continues to outpace available capacity. "Ontario has entered a new era of healthcare," said Lori Holloway, Chief Executive Officer of OCSA. "For years we've talked about aging at home as a goal. Today, it is the reality. More than 45,000 people are waiting for long-term care in the community, and nearly 700 patients are waiting in hospital for the home care and community support services needed to return home safely. The question is no longer whether Ontario needs more community capacity. The question is how quickly we can build it." Ontario's not-for-profit home care and community support organizations provide the services that make aging at home possible, including home care, transportation, Meals on Wheels, assisted living, caregiver supports, adult day programs, wellness services and hospital-to-home programs. Without these supports, seniors are more likely to remain in hospital longer, experience avoidable health crises, or require earlier admission to long-term care. “Community care is increasingly becoming healthcare's pressure valve," said Holloway. "Every hospital bed occupied by someone waiting for community services tells us the same thing: the demand for aging-at-home supports is growing faster than the system's ability to provide them. If we want to improve hospital flow, reduce pressure on emergency departments and help people remain independent longer, we need to accelerate investment in community capacity." OCSA is calling for continued investments in home care, community support services, caregiver supports; not just service volume increases but the necessary infrastructure funding to ensure Ontario can meet the needs of a rapidly aging population. "Ontario has made important investments across hospitals, long-term care and home care," Holloway added. "The next phase of healthcare transformation must focus on building the aging-at-home capacity that will determine whether our health system can meet future demand." For more information: Karla Sealy Manager, Advocacy, Policy and Community Engagement karla.sealy@ocsa.on.ca 416-256-3010/1-800-267-6272, ext. 242
Ontario's health system is at a crossroads. Nearly one in five Ontarians is over age 65, more than 2.5 million people are without access to primary care, and hospitals face persistent Alternate Level of Care (ALC) pressures. Meanwhile, long-term care (LTC) waitlists exceed 48,000 people and are projected to grow. The most cost-effective and compassionate solution is to invest in a comprehensive suite of services including community support services, home care and independent living services, which allows people to remain in their homes and communities while reducing system pressures.
Ontario, Canada — April 1, 2026 — The Ontario Community Support Association (OCSA) and the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society (Ontario SPCA) are launching a new partnership to support seniors and their pets by delivering pet food alongside Meals on Wheels deliveries. This collaboration brings together community support providers and animal welfare services to address a practical challenge faced by many older adults—accessing pet food due to limited mobility, fixed incomes, or transportation barriers. By leveraging existing Meals on Wheels routes, volunteers can now also deliver pet supplies donated by the Ontario SPCA during their regular visits. The initiative is being introduced through an initial pilot with a small group of participating providers, including Meals on Wheels Sudbury, and Meals on Wheels Cornwall, which has already completed its first pet food deliveries to local seniors. “Meals on Wheels programs do far more than deliver food, they are a vital connection point into the community,” said Lori Holloway, CEO of OCSA. “This partnership reflects how organizations can work together to respond to real, everyday challenges seniors face. It’s a practical example of how community-based care supports the whole person, not just clinical needs.” “Pets are family, and we know the positive impact they have on people’s mental and emotional health,” said Jennifer Bluhm, VP, Community Outreach, Ontario SPCA and Humane Society. “This partnership helps remove barriers so seniors can continue to enjoy the companionship of their pets.” The program is already making an impact at the community level, with local providers seeing firsthand how small supports can improve quality of life for clients. “Pets can play a powerful role in reducing the isolation many seniors experience,” said Tammi Lear, Executive Director, Meals on Wheels Sudbury. “Meals on Wheels Sudbury is excited to partner with the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society to help keep our seniors healthy, connected, and able to remain in their homes with their pets.” “Meals on Wheels Cornwall is proud to be the first organization to pilot this program with the Ontario SPCA,” said Andree-Ann Morin, Meals on Wheels Coordinator, Glen Stor Dun Lodge. “This pilot program recognizes that food security doesn’t stop with the individual — it includes the pets who bring comfort and companionship. Thanks to the Ontario SPCA, we’ve already been able to help clients who were struggling with the cost, access, and special dietary needs of their pets. Even with just a few clients so far, we’ve seen how removing this worry can improve overall wellbeing.” Evidence shows that pets can reduce loneliness and support mental well-being among older adults. Small, practical supports like this can play an important role in maintaining health, preventing more complex needs over time, and improving client outcomes. This new partnership demonstrates the potential of cross-sector collaboration to better support seniors aging at home, while strengthening connections between health, community, and social supports. OCSA and the Ontario SPCA will continue working together to explore opportunities to expand the program with additional community partners across Ontario. Media Contact: Karla Sealy Ontario Community Support Association (OCSA) karla.sealy@ocsa.on.ca 416-256-3010 / 1-800-267-6272 ext. 242 About the Ontario Community Support Association (OCSA) The Ontario Community Support Association (OCSA) is the leading voice for home and community care in Ontario, representing hundreds of not-for-profit organizations delivering both home care and community support services across the province. OCSA members provide essential services including nursing, personal support and therapies; Meals on Wheels, transportation, caregiver supports, and other programs that help people remain safely in their homes and communities. Serving over one million Ontarians each year, OCSA works with government and system partners to advance integrated, community-based care as a cornerstone of a sustainable health system. About the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society is a registered charity that has been operating for more than 150 years. The organization provides care, comfort, and compassion to animals in need in communities across Ontario, and works to keep pets and people together through a variety of community support services, education, and animal wellness initiatives.
