The Ontario government is on track to make good on its commitment to build 30,000 much-needed net new long-term care beds in the province by 2028. Ontario now has 31,705 new and 28,648 upgraded beds in development across the province. This commitment by our province by 2028 is the largest long-term care building program in Canada — ever. The province is not only building capacity but is also investing in building a long-term care system where all residents experience the best possible quality of life, supported by safe, high-quality care.
The government has a plan to fix long-term care and to ensure Ontario’s seniors get the quality of care and quality of life they need and deserve both now and in the future. The plan is built on three pillars: staffing and care; accountability, enforcement, and transparency; and building modern, safe, comfortable homes for seniors.
As part of its plan to stay open, the Ontario government and Ontario Health have launched Health Connect Ontario, a new tool that will allow Ontarians to call or chat online with a registered nurse and find the health care services and information they need all in one, easy-to-use website.
Health Connect Ontario will replace the former Telehealth Ontario, adding enhanced online tools and allowing individuals to call 811 or visit the website 24 hours a day, seven days a week to get health advice, help navigate health services and find information. This will help Ontarians avoid unnecessary visits to emergency departments and unneeded delays in accessing care, helping to preserve hospital capacity for when it is needed most so that the province can stay open.
As Ontario continues to effectively manage the sixth wave of COVID-19, the Chief Medical Officer of Health is maintaining existing provincial masking requirements in select higher-risk indoor settings until June 11, 2022.
Provincial masking requirements which were set to expire on April 27, 2022 are being extended in current settings until 12:00 a.m. on June 11, 2022, including:
A complete list of settings where masking requirements continue to apply is available online.
Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education, joined by Effie Triantafilopoulos, MPP for Oakville North—Burlington, announced that the Ontario government is investing nearly $500 million to support 37 school projects, including 23 with child care projects, across the province as part of the 2022-2023 Capital Priorities Program. This funding will build and improve schools and create new licenced child care spaces throughout the province.
The newly approved Capital Priorities Program projects will create nearly 15,700 new student spaces, and just over 1,500 new licensed child care spaces in schools. The announcement was made at Dr. David R. Williams Public School in Oakville, where the Halton District School Board will receive nearly $24 million from the Capital Priorities Program to build a new public elementary school for the new development in the northeast community of Oakville.
My office is open for in-person visits from Monday to Friday, 10:00AM to 4:00PM. We encourage you to continue to contact us at (416) 781-2395 or email robin.martin@pc.ola.org. We remain ready to assist.