STANDING in front of Revera’s headquarters, a for-profit long-term care company with ties to the federal government, in Mississauga, Ontario, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh vowed to end for-profit long-term care and committed to a Care Guarantee for seniors, families and workers. Like other for-profit care homes, Revera turned a profit while seniors and residents died of neglect in their care homes.

“Canadians living and working in for-profit long-term care homes were the hardest hit by the pandemic. [Prime Minister] Justin Trudeau allowed big corporations to make big money by cutting corners and neglecting our loved ones,” said Singh. “Justin Trudeau said a lot of things about making life better for seniors in long-term care, but he voted to keep profit in long-term care, and is giving even more control to big corporations. My team and I will take profit out, pay long-term care workers a living wage and guarantee quality care for seniors.”

Given the opportunity to make things better, Trudeau refused. Trudeau voted with the Conservatives to keep profit-driven long-term care. And he failed to deliver on a commitment to establish national standards and to hold big corporations to them, the NDP said.

"Profits do not belong in long-term care, care belongs inside"

Maureen's words are gut-wrenching

Too many Canadians have lost a loved one in for-profit LTC, like her

Trudeau could have eliminated profit in LTC homes, but refused to

I'll never stop fighting for your loved ones pic.twitter.com/wwGv2hNske

— Jagmeet Singh (@theJagmeetSingh) August 24, 2021

During the height of the pandemic, people living in for profit facilities experienced higher infection rates and more deaths than those in non-profit and public facilities. Reports from military personnel who were sent into for-profit homes detailed horrors of residents starving and dehydrated, severely neglected and dying. Many advocates have pointed out the pandemic has only exposed failures in long-term care that have existed for decades.

Singh pledged to develop national care standards, with accountability measures, and to boost wages and support for long-term care workers.
He laid out a plan to take profit out of long-term care by removing control from big corporations and banning any new for-profit care homes. He committed to a Care Guarantee for long-term care residents, their families and workers that ensure the best care possible for our loved ones.

“No one should profit off the neglect of our loved ones, but Justin Trudeau wants to continue giving big corporations control over seniors’ care,” said Singh. “The pandemic brought a national shame to light which we can never forget. I’m not Justin Trudeau. I will do what it takes to get the profit out of long-term care and give our loved ones the care they deserve.”