Commissioners examining the COVID-19 pandemic's effect on Ontario's long-term care facilities will be able to make recommendations for systemic change, but Premier Doug Ford isn't yet saying whether their directions will be binding.
The independent commission is tasked with investigating why nursing homes were so hard hit by the novel coronavirus and whether the province did enough to prevent and contain its spread.
As of Wednesday, 1,844 residents of long-term care homes and eight staff members had died of the virus.
The commission, led by Associate Chief Justice Frank Marrocco of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, will be able to issue summons compelling people to give evidence.
The province says the two other commissioners will be Angela Coke, a former senior executive with the Ontario Public Service, and Dr. Jack Kitts, the former president and CEO of the Ottawa Hospital.
The commission is due to produce its report by April 30, 2021.