TORONTO – Steven Del Duca, Leader of the Ontario Liberal Party, issued the following statement:
“Doug Ford is betraying Ontario families by awarding contracts to the same nursing homes that put lives at risk. Our loved ones deserve better and Doug Ford promised his government would do better. He’s betraying us all by awarding these contracts.
It took a shocking military report to reveal the horrid conditions in our nursing homes. That crisis forced Doug Ford to call a commission, but just seven months later he’s continuing to award operators that failed contracts. These companies should be called out to explain themselves, not awarded new contracts.
In Pickering, Doug Ford is awarding 87 new beds to Orchard Villa – one of 5 homes that the military served at. 78 long term care residents lost their lives at Orchard Villa, it is beyond the pale they are being awarded new beds.
In Ottawa, Doug Ford is awarding 17 new spaces to Carlingview Manor. 60 residents died between April and June. Revera operates this home that had 259 cases total between staff and residents. Doug Ford has betrayed all of Ottawa by rewarding Revera.
In Erin Mills and the Village of Erin Meadows, Doug Ford is rewarding Schlegel Villages which is facing multiple lawsuits. Schlegel Villages has overseen 21 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic. Now they are being allowed to build a new facility with 256 beds. It’s outrageous.
Last year, Doug Ford cut provincial funding for nursing homes, meaning fewer inspections and grave consequences for our loved ones. If the heartbreak caused by the crisis last Spring didn’t change his attitude about the conditions in nursing homes, nothing will.
It’s time for Ontarians to stand up and tell Doug Ford to stop this insanity. New contracts for failed nursing homes are unthinkable.”
-30-