New investigations team will strengthen oversight and resident safety
A News Release from the Government of Ontario
Posted January 15th, 2024 on Niagara At Large
TORONTO — The Ontario government has created a new Investigations Unit to ensure every long-term care resident lives with dignity and experiences the quality of care they deserve.
Supported by an investment of $72.3 million, the new 10-person unit will be an effective deterrent and tool when escalated enforcement is needed to improve compliance and ensure resident safety.
The new unit is now active and will investigate allegations such as: failing to protect a resident from abuse or neglect, repeated and ongoing non-compliance, failing to comply with ministry inspector’s orders, suppressing and/or falsifying mandatory reports, and negligence of corporate directors.
“These new investigators have the authority to add more accountability in the long-term care sector and will help address the most serious forms of non-compliance,” said Stan Cho, Minister of Long-Term Care. “The new unit complements what is already the toughest inspection and enforcement program in Canada, helping give residents the safety and quality of care they need and deserve.”
The newly appointed investigators completed comprehensive training over 19 weeks which consisted of in-class training, self-study modules and field experience. The training covered all aspects of the inspections program, the relevant legislation and regulation, investigative techniques such as interviewing, search warrant and report writing, as well as court procedures.
The new unit’s investigators are designated as Provincial Offences Officers under the Provincial Offences Act and will investigate allegations of offenses under the Fixing Long-Term Care Act. While inspectors identify and address non-compliance under the Act, investigators determine if there are grounds that an offence under the Act has been committed, which if prosecuted could result in fines and/or imprisonment.
“The creation of this new investigations unit under the Fixing Long Term Care Act marks an important step forward to continue protecting Ontario’s long-term care home residents,” said Attorney General, Doug Downey. “By providing investigators with the ability to refer cases to prosecutors as needed, this team will help to improve compliance with the Act, keep residents safe and provide comfort and certainty to residents and their families.”
The work of the Investigations Unit will complement Ontario’s existing robust inspections program and is in addition to a wider suite of changes the government introduced over the last two years to strengthen compliance and enforcement in the long-term care sector. These new measures include doubling the number of inspectors in the field, implementing a new and more efficient IT system for inspectors to track their work, and introducing new compliance and enforcement tools like administrative monetary penalties and re-inspection fees.
The government is fixing long-term care to ensure Ontario’s seniors get the quality of care and quality of life they need and deserve. The plan is built on four pillars: staffing and care; quality and enforcement; building modern, safe and comfortable homes; and connecting seniors with faster, more convenient access to the services they need.
Niagara Falls NDP MPP Wayne Gates, whose riding includes Niagara Falls, Fort Erie and Niagara-on-the-Lake, has been after the Ford government to provide better quality care and more resources for staff in long-term-care homes for years.
A Footnote by Doug Draper at Niagara At Large – This move by the Ford government comes after years of pressing by political critics like Niagara Falls NDP MPP Wayne Gates and by individual citizens and citizen groups across the province for the government to do a better job of ensuring acceptable conditions in long-term-care homes.
Let’s hope that this move will work to help put an end to deplorable conditions for residents and workers in many long-term care homes (most often privately owned and operated ones) in Ontario as described in one of many stories like this one which you can read by clicking on this link – https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/26/canada-care-homes-military-report-coronavirus
For more on the recent disgusting state of affairs involving too many long term care homes in Ontario read – Ontario’s Long-Term Care Inspection System Collapsed During Deadly First Weeks Of Covid-19 Pandemic, Province’s Ombudsman Finds | Niagara At Large
Ontario’s LTC inspection system fell apart during 1st COVID-19 wave: report | CBC News
To read a piece Niagara At Large posted last year on the continued efforts of Niagara Falls NDP MPP Wayne Gates to press the Ford government to better inspect long term care homes, click on – Niagara Falls NDP MPP Grills Ford Government over Shortage of Inspectors for Long-Term Care Homes | Niagara At Large
NIAGARA AT LARGE Encourages You To Join The Conversation By Sharing Your Views On This Post In The Space Following The Bernie Sanders Quote Below.
“A Politician Thinks Of The Next Election. A Leader Thinks Of The Next Generation.” – Bernie Sanders
Niagara At Large 
This is a little late in the day! The Ford government actually passed legislation in 2020, to ensure that shareholders of these Long Term Care homes could not be sued by families who had lost loved ones. He did this during the worst days of the pandemic, when thousands of seniors died in Long Term Care because of squalid conditions and some even because they were left to starve to death.
Ford must be worried about the next election!
LikeLike