Ontario announces $35M funding boost for long-term care homes

The Ontario government is investing $35 million to help long-term care homes across the province support residents with complex needs.

This investment is part of the government’s plan to protect Ontario by ensuring long-term care residents get the quality of care and quality of life they need and deserve.

On Friday, Natalia Kusendova-Bashta, minister of long-term care, made the announcement in Scarborough at the Midland Gardens Community long-term care home.

The long-term care home received $67,000 in funding through the program in 2025-26 to purchase diagnostic and specialized equipment, including a vital signs machine, to help reduce emergency department visits.

The Local Priorities Fund, which was launched in 2022, invests in staffing, equipment and services to support people’s transitions from hospitals to long-term care homes.

“Our government is protecting our long-term care system by investing in the specialized equipment and staffing needed to address complex conditions,” says Kusendova-Bashta.

READ MORE: Ontario to boost home care funding, may miss long-term care bed goal

“Providing consistent, multi-year funding to the Local Priorities Fund will ensure long-term care homes across the province have access to the tools they need to provide the care that residents deserve.”

Last year, the fund supported 1,168 projects such as 20 specialized beds and an enhanced mental health and substance use model at 394 long-term care homes and service providers.

In Northern Ontario, the fund supported almost 170 projects with an investment of almost $8.9 million, to support residents with specialized needs such as complex dementia, mobility issues and cardiovascular conditions and improve their care.

The government’s plan to improve long-term care is built on staffing and care, quality and enforcement, building modern, safe and comfortable homes and connecting seniors with faster, more convenient access to the services they need.

READ MORE: City of Brantford opens new 160-bed long-term care facility