THUNDER BAY — The provincial government recently announced a new investigative unit that would focus on long-term care homes and facilities.
With a $72.3 million budget for the 10-person team, the province states in their media release that the unit "will be an effective deterrent and tool when escalated enforcement is needed to improve compliance and ensure resident safety."
As a permanent program, the investigators will look at facilities based on publicly available reports that were completed by provincial inspectors.
Through a request for comment to the Ministry of Long-Term Care, an email response was provided.
"Referrals will be extended to investigators upon the completion of inspections. Any inquiry must pertain to offences outlined in the Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021," it said.
NDP MPP Lise Vaugeois represents constituents for Thunder Bay-Superior North and is concerned there aren't enough inspectors or follow-through on penalties for facilities.
"I don't want to say I'm unhappy because they're doing more inspections. They do need to do more inspections, but there have to be consequences, and those consequences have to be applied. And we're talking about publicly-funded but privately-run institutions."
In a response from the Ford government, it was indicated that investigations would not be made publicly available.
"Investigators will assess whether there are reasonable and probable grounds to believe an offence has occurred, and cases can be forwarded to Crown Counsel for prosecution as such in this event will not be made public," the statement said.
It was also made clear that the results of investigations would not be made available publicly.
Vaugeois continued, "I don't want to suggest that every single home is a bad home, but the industry as a whole and particularly the for-profit side of it has not had a good track record. The fines have been inconsequential and, previous to now, a lot of those inspections just took place over the phone."
While the investigative unit is permanent, its members have been mandated to look further into situations that are outlined in the Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021, including neglect or abuse protection failures, repeated or ongoing non-compliance, suppression or falsification of mandatory reports, lack of corporate director accountability, among others.
The 10 members underwent 19 weeks of training and field experience and are currently in the field.
