TORONTO – Steven Del Duca, Leader of the Ontario Liberals, issued the following statement:
“Today’s damning report from Ontario’s Long-Term Care COVID-19 Commission paints a tragic picture of nursing homes in crisis, and how little Doug Ford has done to protect them since the crisis in April.”
“Doug Ford promised the families of our most vulnerable that he would create an iron ring of protection around nursing homes, and it’s now clear he’s left them in the cold. Ford owes families urgent action now that his commission has made clear recommendations on how to address the challenges in nursing homes. There is no time for Ford to hesitate when the report makes it clear that delayed action will have grave consequences.”
“Today, the commission indicated that having a daily average of four hours of direct care per resident is a priority for securing nursing homes during COVID-19. Ontario Liberals had previously begun moving towards a daily average of four hours of direct care per resident but Ford’s Conservatives stopped it when they took office.”
“There is nowhere that’s been hit harder by this pandemic than nursing homes, but it didn’t have to be like this. Had Ford acted sooner when he learned of the devastating conditions in April, nursing homes could have been secured ahead of the second wave.”
“If I was Premier, I would take immediate action to implement and fully fund the commission’s recommendations to protect our loved ones. I hope Ford will do the same.”