It’s time for national standards for safe long-term care, says Health Coalition

The federal government must introduce its long promised legislation to protect residents in long-term care. The government has been dragging its feet on the Safe Long-Term Care Act while experts and organizations representing front-line workers have been urging enforceable, national standards of care in long-term care facilities.

In an open letter this week, Health Coalition leaders and allies tell Mark Holland, Minister of Health, and Steven MacKinnon, Minister of Labour, “the Act requires mandatory standards of care that guarantee safe, dignified and high-quality care in long-term care homes.”

Linda Silas, president of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU) which is a member of the Canadian Health Coalition, added, “Everyone in Canada deserves safe high-quality long-term care, and health care workers deserve the working conditions to make that possible.”

Including enforceable standards for legislation has widespread public support. An Environics national poll conducted for the Canadian Health Coalition this summer found that eight in ten Canadians agreed Safe Long-Term Care Act must include mandatory, enforceable standards for minimum numbers of hours of care and staffing ratios for each patient in long-term care facilities.

The Liberals have made commitments for the Safe Long-Term Care Act on at least three occasions:

• During the last federal election the Liberal platform stated, “A re-elected Liberal government will work with provinces and territories to introduce the Safe Long-term Care Act to ensure that standards of care are upheld across the country.”
• Announcing his Cabinet after his election victory in 2021, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau mandated his Health Minister, “to develop national standards and a Safe Long-Term Care Act to ensure seniors get the care they deserve.”
• Once again in 2022, the Liberals included in its cooperation agreement with the NDP; “Tabling a Safe Long-Term Care Act to ensure that seniors are guaranteed the care they deserve, no matter where they live.” The agreement ended this fall, and Canadians are still waiting for the Safe Long-Term Care Act.

A new online petition has been launched to invite everyone to join the call for the Safe Long-Term Care Act, which must include:

Enforceable National Standards: Ensure the Act adopts mandatory standards based on the Health Standards Organization (HSO) and Canadian Standards Association (CSA) guidelines, including a minimum of 4.5 hours of direct care per resident daily.

Workforce Strategy: Develop a national long-term care workforce strategy aligned with the International Labour Organization’s 5R Framework to address precarious employment, improve wages, and attract skilled caregivers.

Accountability and Transparency: Tie federal funding to compliance with these standards, and require annual reporting from provinces and territories on key metrics, such as staffing levels and quality of care.

Phase Out For-Profit Long-Term Care: Transition funding away from for-profit facilities and private staffing agencies to public and non-profit care models that prioritize residents’ well-being over profit.

The letter to the federal ministers is also available on the campaign website.  It was signed by Jason MacLean of the Canadian Health Coalition, Linda Silas of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU), Bea Bruske of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), Marty Warren of the United Steelworkers (USW), Bert Blundon of the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE), Lana Payne of Unifor, Michael MacIsaac of Congress of Union Retirees of Canada (CURC), Sharleen Stewart and Sylvie Nelson of Service Employees International Union, Charlene Nero of the Labourers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) Local 3000, Kelly Tosato of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 175, and Chris Gallaway of Friends of Medicare.