Prime Minister Trudeau has finally said what we’ve been saying for months; provinces have completely failed seniors in long-term care during COVID-19.

With the current total of COVID-19 related deaths in Canada tied to long-term care sitting at 81%, Trudeau has opened the door to creating a national standard of care to govern long-term care across provincial and territorial jurisdictions.

CARP is calling for shared funding for long-term care between the federal and provincial governments. There absolutely must be regulations that protect seniors in care settings and these standards must be met and maintained; especially during a pandemic. As we look toward a potential second wave of COVID-19, we can’t afford to waste time in shoring up the holes in the system that have allowed for a tragic loss of life.

We’ll be tracking this development closely.