Niagara Falls NDP MPP Wayne Gates is speaking out over news that over 400 patients have been moved into Ontario nursing homes they did not want to go to.
Gates, who is also the critic for Long Term Care, says the Ford government has forced many callous and cruel decisions on seniors in Long Term Care, and even with its track record, the number is shocking.
There were 424 discharged patients who moved to a nursing home not of their choosing out of 20,261 patients who were moved to long-term care homes since a law allowing such moves came into force in late 2022.
"Families and advocates warned that there would be dire consequences of Ford’s Bill 7, but Ford went ahead and rammed it through anyways. As his fifth Minister of Long-Term Care comes on board, I urge them to reconsider their actions and repeal this cruel legislation."
One 83-year-old woman faces a $26,000 hospital charge under the provisions of the new law.
The province introduced Bill 7 in 2022 in an effort to open up much needed hospital beds.
The province says the new law is working as intended.
"Everyone should be free to live in a home of their choosing. Fining anyone for not wanting to move from their community is wrong. How does Ford not see that? Seniors – our parents, grandparents and friends – deserve better.”