The Ford government is launching a major incentive program to encourage Ontario nurses to commit to long-term care homes, offering $25,000-plus to those who agree to a two-year term.
Minister of Long-Term Care Natalia Kusendova-Bashta announced several measures on Wednesday, which she said could add as many as 8,000 nurses to the system.
“I know bringing more nurses into Ontario’s long-term care homes will help ensure residents receive the quality of care and the quality of life they need and deserve,” she said.
The budget for the announcement is set at up to $180 million and will fund three separate initiatives, the government said.
One of the incentives essentially offers cash bonuses for those who make meaningful commitments to work in the sector.
Nurses who agree to work in a long-term care home for two years will be eligible for a $25,000 payment, the government said.
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An extra $10,000 will be offered to nurses who make two-year commitments to homes in remote or rural areas, along with a further $10,000 to cover the costs of moving.
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While Ontario already had some programs in place for nursing incentives, they were run by the Ministry of Health rather than long-term care and had less money assigned to them.
Funds will also be available for a pilot program in 2026-27 to create roles for 40 nursing students to gain experience in long-term care. Up to $110 million will be spent creating new nursing mentorship opportunities.
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“Supporting the recruitment and retention of NPs in LTC settings is critical to supporting the health, well-being and quality of life of Ontario’s seniors,” Dr. Michelle Acorn, president of the Nurse Practitioners Association of Ontario, said in a statement.
“We look forward to continuing to work with the provincial government to foster LTC environments where NPs can thrive, build careers, develop skills and protect Ontario’s most vulnerable.”
Ontario needs to dramatically increase the number of nurses it attracts and retains in long-term care as it looks to hit targets for hours of care and tries to build 30,000 new beds by 2028.
A report this year from the provincial government shows Ontario got close — but ultimately fell short — of its legislated goal of an average of four hours of direct care each day for every long-term care patient.
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The Progressive Conservative government set the target in a 2021 law aimed at boosting both the amount of direct care residents receive from nurses and personal support workers, as well as other health professionals such as physiotherapists.
While the government met its interim targets in the following two years, starting at three hours of direct care, it did not reach the third-year or final targets, amid staffing challenges.
In the last year, the average direct hours of nursing and PSW care in long-term care homes across the province was three hours and 49 minutes, or 95.5 per cent of the four-hour target, according to a report recently published by the ministry.
— with files from The Canadian Press
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