Spectrum Health Care Welcomes Ontario's Investment in Contract Rate Increases for Home Care

The investment by the Government of Ontario in contract rate increases for home care is an important step in stabilizing the home care sector. Through this investment, home care providers across the province, including Spectrum Health Care, will be able to increase wages for home care workers, invest in the technology and systems our people need to do their jobs and ultimately ensure the people we serve are able to get the care they need in their homes.

The home care sector is experiencing a staffing crisis. More nurses, personal support workers (PSWs) and other health care providers are needed to care for the thousands of people who need home care to remain safely in their homes and out of hospital and long-term care. Historically, the wage rates paid to providers in the home care sector have been lower compared to the rest of the health care sector. This is why it is critically important we properly compensate and retain our home care workers. The Government of Ontario’s investment of nearly $300M to increase contract rates will help to stabilize the home care sector by enabling meaningful wage increases for home care workers. With the announcement today home care operators can also invest in the tools required to modernize home care and provide consistent, high-quality care.

“It is clear that the Government of Ontario is prioritizing the hard-working people who provide compassionate health care in a home setting including the 2,500 frontline staff at Spectrum Health Care. They are also taking action on their commitment to provide more connected and convenient care – nothing is more convenient than care in your home,” said Sandra Ketchen, President and CEO of Spectrum Health Care. “By increasing contract rates, we can increase wages and make investments in our service delivery. This will help attract workers to home care, stabilizing and expanding capacity to deliver more care to people in their homes”.

Spectrum Health Care welcomes this investment in home care and looks forward to working with the Government of Ontario to modernize home care services to make home care more connected and convenient for Ontarians.