Long-Term Care and Seniors Services

The municipal sector in Ontario is at the forefront of developing age-friendly communities and providing vital services to seniors. This includes long-term care, affordable housing, public health services and community support services, as well as general planning for age-friendly communities. This vital work is supported by the partnership of the Ontario government through legislation, policies, and funding programs.

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If you are a municipal elected official or staff member and want to learn the latest about long-term care, email mjacek@amo.on.ca.

AMO Documents and Submissions

Response to Proposed Phase 1 Regulations of the Fixing Long-Term Care Homes Act, 2021. AMO Submission to the Ministry of Long-Term Care. February 17, 2022

Transforming Long-Term Care in Ontario: The Time is Now. Long-Term Care Backgrounder. January 2022

Bill 37, Providing More Care, Protecting Seniors, and Building More Beds Act. AMO Submission to Standing Committee on the Legislative Assembly. November 24, 2021

Long-Term Care COVID-19 Commission: Response to the Final Report Recommendations. November 8, 2021
In June 2020, AMO’s Health Task Force established a working group on long-term care to help provide advice to the independent Long-Term Care COVID-19 Commission over the course of its investigation. In October, AMO submitted interim recommendations on an ongoing provincial pandemic response to the Commission for their consideration.

The working group on long-term care was also provided an opportunity to meet with the Commissioners on October 26th. The testimony from that meeting can be found on the LTC Commission website. AMO provided a final submission, Improving the Long-Term Care Outbreak Response in Ontario: AMO’s Final Submission to the Long-Term Care COVID-19 Commission, in January 2021.

In July 2021, AMO shared a submission to the Minister of Long-Term Care in response to the recommendations of the Long-Term Care COVID-19 Commission Final Report. This submission identifies opportunities for further examination and consultation and provides recommendations on how the Final Report must be used as a platform for discussion around the transformation of long-term care in Ontario.

In November 2021, AMO shared a submission to the Ministry of Long-Term Care that builds on the initial submission in response to the Long-Term Care COVID-19 Commission Final Report. This submission reiterates AMO’s recommendations in response to the Final Report, highlighting key issues of significant municipal impact, and endorses many of the technical recommendations made by AdvantAge Ontario. AMO looks forward to continuing to work with the Ministry to transform the long-term care sector in Ontario.

Long-Term Care Staffing Plan – Four Hours of Care Standard Implementation. July 6, 2021
In December 2020, the provincial government released “A Better Place to Live, A Better Place to Work: Ontario’s Long Term Care Staffing Plan”. Among other measures, this Staffing Report commits to investing in providing an average of four hours of care to all residents. AMO’s submission to the Ministry of Long-Term Care emphasizes that municipal homes must be eligible for full funding for implementation under the right conditions in order to enhance the quality of care and health and well-being of long-term care residents.

Creating Viable Long-Term Care Development and Redevelopment. July 6, 2021
The provincial government has committed to expanding new long-term beds and providing support for older long-term care homes to redevelop. AMO’s submission to the Ministry of Long-Term Care provides recommendations around application processes, planning and project support, financing, lifecycle funding, rural and remote communities, redevelopment building construction, building system capacity, municipal home applications and campuses of care, to support successful development and redevelopment of municipal homes.

Long-Term Care AMO Conference 2020
The first-ever virtual AMO Conference took place from Monday, August 17 - Wednesday, August 19th. One of the concurrent sessions was on Transforming Long-Term Care in Ontario: An Opportunity Too Important to Miss. The presentations are included below:

Strengthening Age-Friendly Communities and Seniors Services in Ontario: Response to the Provincial Consultation on Ontario's Seniors Strategy. AMO's comments and recommendations in this document are structured along the themes identified in the provincial consultation survey. July 18, 2019.

Long-Term Care: Municipal Challenges in Ontario.
AMO is working with AdvantAge Ontario, the association that represents municipal and non-profit long-term care service providers, to analyze the impact of these reductions when municipal budgets and property tax levies for the year have already been set. AMO has called on the province to defer the changes indefinitely until a review of the model is completed jointly with the sector to ensure that there is adequate, stable and predictable multi-year funding available on a go-forward basis. Backgrounder

A Compendium of Municipal Health Activities and Recommendations.
A Companion to AMO’s “Partner’s for a Healthy Ontario: A Check Up on the Municipal Role in Health” Discussion Paper. January 18, 2019

Partners for a Healthy Ontario: A Check-up on the Municipal Role for Health.
This paper reviews the current municipal role in health and provides recommendations aimed at modernizing the provincial-municipal working relationship. The provincial government is pursuing more patient-centred health services that can efficiently deliver high-quality care. With local knowledge and expertise, municipal governments can provide valuable input into the system. Given their level of financial investment, they should also have greater say over decisions that impact municipal costs and services. January 18, 2019

Strengthening Age-Friendly Communities and Seniors’ Services for 21st Century Ontario:
A New Conversation about the Municipal Role. September 23, 2016

Coming of Age: The Municipal Role in Long-Term Care.
AMO's report shows that increasing costs, an aging population and increased provincial regulations are making the costs of LTC unsustainable for municipalities. Long-term care homes are designed for people who require 24-hour nursing care and supervision within a secure setting. Each municipality in Ontario is required to establish and maintain a long-term care facility, either directly or jointly with another municipality. The service is provided on a cost-shared basis with the province. June 2011