2024-01-15 21:37:15
(Toronto) A new unit of 10 investigators has been created in Ontario that will examine allegations against long-term care homes that failed to protect their residents from abuse or neglect.
Published yesterday at 4:37 p.m.
Long-Term Care Minister Stan Cho made the announcement Monday, saying the new unit would benefit from $72.3 million in funding.
He says Ontario already has “the most rigorous inspection and enforcement program in Canada” and the new investigation team will help ensure residents receive the highest quality of care.
Investigators may review allegations of failure to protect a resident from abuse or neglect, repeated and continued non-compliance, failure to comply with orders of the department inspector, deletion and/or falsification of mandatory reporting and negligence of company directors.
Investigators will determine whether a provincial offense was committed under the Long-Term Care Recovery Actwhich could result in fines or imprisonment.
Ontario New Democratic Party (NDP) long-term care critic Wayne Gates says bolder measures are needed, such as better wages and working conditions for staff, as thousands of older people have lost their lives since the start of COVID-19 and the inspection system collapsed during the first wave of the pandemic.
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