Ontario government fast-tracking construction of Toronto long-term care home

Ontario is fast-tracking the construction of a Toronto long-term care home, promising the facility will be built “in months, not years.”

Premier Doug Ford made the announcement alongside Long-Term Care Minister Dr. Merrilee Fullerton on Tuesday.

The facility, which will have 320 beds, will be built at Humber River Hospital’s Finch site with a target of being open by the end of 2021, officials said.

“After years of underinvestment in long-term care, we are getting shovels in the ground faster and delivering on our commitment to build 30,000 long-term care beds over the next decade,” Ford said in a statement.

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“We’re working with innovative partners like Humber River Hospital and Infrastructure Ontario to help get our seniors off waitlists and into modern rooms, so they receive the quality care they deserve, sooner.”

The project is part of the wider Accelerated Build Pilot Program. Three other projects have already been announced — two homes in Mississauga and one in Ajax.

The rooms will feature air conditioning and private or semi-private spaces, officials said.

The facilities are built using rapid procurement and modular construction.

The Ontario NDP released a statement following the government’s announcement, saying, “Beds in a broken system won’t deliver better seniors care.”

“We need to hire thousands of PSWs, make their jobs full time, and pay them better,” Long-Term Care Critic Teresa Armstrong said.

“We need to have a minimum standard staffing level of four hours of hands-on care per day, per resident. We need regular, comprehensive inspections.”