Multiple retirement homes in Chatham-Kent and Windsor-Essex are getting extra cash to hire more staff and protect vulnerable residents from COVID-19.
The province said the additional funding will also help cover costs for COVID-19 related expenses such as on-site testing, deep cleaning and sanitizing, and buying personal protective equipment and other supplies to avoid the virus from spreading. Sixteen retirement homes in Chatham-Kent-Leamington will be sharing $513,729 to help keep seniors safe. Five homes in Windsor will be getting $198,167 and 10 homes in Essex County will be receiving $482,299.
"I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. We need to keep our vulnerable citizens protected during this pandemic," said Rick Nicholls, MPP for Chatham-Kent-Leamington. "With this additional funding to help the retirement home sector, we can ensure the safety and well being of seniors living in these communities and slow the curve of this virus."
On Wednesday, the Ontario government announced an additional $30 million for the retirement home sector on top of the $30.9 million announced last year. The provincial government points out that Ontario has more than 770 licensed retirement homes and many are run by small operators who urgently need the government’s support to deal with rising costs related to fighting COVID-19.
The province also said to-date over 56,000 residents and over 23,000 workers in retirement homes have received the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and of them over 35,000 residents and 15,000 staff have received both doses.
The 2021 Ontario budget will be released on March 24 and the province said it will focus on protecting people's health with a plan to defeat COVID-19, and support for people and jobs because "healthy people are essential for a healthy economy."