Ontario's hospitals are asking for a nearly $1-billion increase in the upcoming provincial budget for their sector, after years of underfunding, in order to maintain services and ease overcrowding.
The Progressive Conservative government has pledged to end so-called hallway health care, and doing so requires other health-care investments such as long-term care beds, the Ontario Hospital Association said in its recent pre-budget submission.
The government has promised 15,000 new long-term care beds.
The lack of long-term care beds in Niagara is the focus of a media conference this afternoon in Niagara Falls at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
Niagara Falls NDP MPP Wayne Gates along with his local counterparts Jeff Burch and Jennie Stevens plan to address what they call a 'long-term care crisis' in Niagara Falls.