Chair Henry’s statement on the provincial government’s investment in long-term care

Whitby, Ontario – The following statement is being issued on behalf of John Henry, Regional Chair and Chief Executive Officer:

“For many years now, long-term care homes across Durham Region have been experiencing capacity pressures, which the pandemic served to further strain. As of March 23, there were 3,328 individuals on the first choice wait list for admission to long-term care in Durham Region. Unfortunately, the average annual placement is only 923 beds per year in Durham Region.

That is why I am very pleased to welcome the Ontario government’s recent investment in long-term care. As part of its Long-Term Care Modernization Plan, the Ontario government has announced an investment of $933 million in 80 new long-term care projects, which includes a new 200-bed long-term care home in Pickering allocated to the Region of Durham.

The Region of Durham thanks the Province for this investment. It’s a big step forward to ensure the most vulnerable have access to safe and modern places to live, and to receive a high quality of care within their local community. 

Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, we remain committed to caring for our residents through compassionate social services, including long-term care.”

Learn more about the Region’s long-term care homes at durham.ca/LTC.  

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