Ontario provides $613,000 to Peterborough-area long-term care homes for COVID-19

The province of Ontario is investing an additional $613,300 to increase prevention and containment efforts of COVID-19 in long-term care homes in the riding of Peterborough-Kawartha.

According to riding MPP Dave Smith, the new funding will help cover eligible expenses related to screening of staff, caregivers and residents; implementing other infection control measures; hiring new staff for essential services or to replace workers off due to COVID-19; and the purchasing of cleaning and operating supplies and equipment.

Homes receiving the funding during the second wave of COVID-19 include:

• Extendicare Lakefield: $98,200 ($667,200 total since the pandemic was declared)
• Extendicare Peterborough: $56,800 ($519,400 total since the pandemic was declared)
• Fairhaven long-term care in Peterborough: $166,600 ($944,400 total since the pandemic was declared)
• Riverview Manor Nursing Home in Peterborough: $94,000 ($814,600 total since the pandemic was declared)
• St. Joseph’s at Fleming in Peterborough: $200,700 ($1,109,700 total since the pandemic was declared)

“Our long-term care staff and residents have worked hard during this pandemic to keep themselves and their loved ones safe,” Smith said. “Our homes should have the resources they need to ensure our homes are clean, safe and protected from COVID-19. This funding accomplishes just that.”

Since the start of the pandemic, the Ontario government has spent $1.38 billion to ensure that long-term care homes have the resources they need to battle COVID-19, the province said.

The province aims to have all residents and staff in long-term care homes vaccinated by Feb. 15, if they want to be vaccinated.

“We will continue to do everything we can to help stop the spread of this virus and protect our most vulnerable and the staff who have been working tirelessly to keep them safe,” said Dr. Merrilee Fullerton, minister of long-term care.

“From the start of the pandemic, we have taken quick and decisive action to make sure that homes have access to the resources they need to care for our loved ones.”

Smith says Ontario is aiming to create more than 27,000 new positions in long-term care homes.

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