Today, the Honourable Andrew Furey, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, announced the signing of the Safe Long-Term Care Fund agreement. Newfoundland and Labrador is the first province or territory to sign this agreement with the Government of Canada.
Premier Furey was joined for the announcement by the Honourable John Haggie, Minister of Health and Community Services; the Honourable Patty Hajdu, federal Minister of Health; the Honourable Deb Schulte, federal Minister of Seniors; and the Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., federal Minister of Natural Resources and MP for St. John’s South – Mount Pearl.
Through this agreement, the Provincial Government will receive approximately $15 million to increase infection prevention and control in Long-Term Care facilities and seniors’ residences providing continuing care services. The funding will:
- Build on existing initiatives to hire infection prevention and control specialists and a pandemic coordinator to increase human resources capacity and enable safer working environments;
- Help upgrade aging infrastructure (e.g. ventilation systems), introduce infection resistant surfaces and furnishings and purchase medical equipment (e.g., commodes and privacy drapes) to further infection prevention and control; and
- Support comprehensive infection prevention control readiness assessments.
The Federal Government is providing these funds through amendments to the existing Canada – Newfoundland and Labrador Home and Community Care and Mental Health and Addictions Services Funding Agreement. Additional funding information can be found in the backgrounder below.
Quotes
“Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who are living in these facilities must receive quality, compassionate care. Today’s funding announcement is another example of the important work being done by the provincial and federal governments to ensure high quality health care and services across the province.”
Honourable Andrew Furey
Premier, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador
“We are committed to ensuring residents of long term care facilities receive high-quality care and are protected from infectious diseases such as COVID-19. This funding will assist in improving infrastructure and working environments to benefit all those living – and working – in our long term care facilities in Newfoundland and Labrador.”
Honourable John Haggie
Minister of Health and Community Services, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador
“The long-term care system in Canada is in crisis – a crisis that has been years in the making. And while Newfoundland and Labrador have weathered this crisis better than most, with an aging population and increasingly complex care needs, our health care systems across this country need to adapt quickly to better serve Canada’s vulnerable senior population. This agreement with Newfoundland and Labrador will continue the work that the province has been doing in protecting the safety and dignity of its seniors.”
Honourable Patty Hajdu
Minister of Health, Government of Canada
“Canadians living and working in long-term care should have a safe environment where they are treated with respect and dignity. Today’s investment funds staffing and infrastructure upgrades to better protect people in long-term care in Newfoundland and Labrador. The Government of Canada is committed to working together in partnership with provinces and territories to improve seniors’ quality of life.”
Honourable Deb Schulte
Minister of Seniors, Government of Canada
“Like all Canadians, I have been shocked at the challenges faced by long-term care facilities that the COVID-19 pandemic has shown us. Seniors living in facilities here in Newfoundland and Labrador have thankfully not been as affected as many across Canada have, but make no mistake that improvements are needed coast to coast to coast. This agreement is an important step in helping seniors in Newfoundland and Labrador live safely and with the dignity they deserve, and in supporting staff to ensure they work in safe environments.”
Hon. Seamus O’Regan Jr.
Minister of Natural Resources, Government of Canada, and MP for St. John’s South – Mount Pearl
– 30 –
Learn more
Follow us on Twitter at @HCS_GovNL or @GovNL
Media contacts
Meghan McCabe
Office of the Premier
709-729-3960
meghanmccabe@gov.nl.ca
Lesley Clarke
Health and Community Services
709-729-6986, 699-2910
lesleyclarke@gov.nl.ca
Thiery Bélair
Office of the Honourable Patty Hajdu
Minister of Health
613-957-0200
Media Relations
Health Canada
613-957-2983
hc.media.sc@canada.ca
Backgrounder
- The 2020 Fall Economic Statement announced a commitment of up to $1 billion through the Safe Long-Term Care Fund to support infection prevention and control through making improvements to ventilation, hiring additional staff, and topping up wages.
- Provinces and territories will be able to use the Safe Long-Term Care Fund funding to undertake a range of activities including:
- Retention measures for existing staff, including wage top-ups, and/or hiring of additional human resources;
- New infrastructure and renovations to existing infrastructure, such as ventilation, or self-isolation or single rooms; and
- Readiness assessments to prevent COVID-19 infections and spread.
- To ensure transparency for Canadians, provinces and territories will develop and publish action plans that list their specific investments and performance metrics.
- In addition to the Safe Long-Term Care Fund, the Government of Canada has:
- Invested $740 million in the Safe Restart Agreements to support provinces and territories in addressing the immediate needs within long-term care.
- Provided up to $3 billion in federal funding to support provinces and territories to increase the wages of low-income essential workers, which could include front line workers in hospitals and long-term care facilities.
- Provided an additional $8.4 million to Healthcare Excellence Canada to support long-term care facilities across the country through the LTC+ initiative. More than 1,000 facilities are participating in the program.
- As well, federal Budget 2021 includes a $3 billion investment over five years ($600 million per year), starting in 2022-23, to ensure that provinces and territories provide a high standard of care in their long-term care facilities.