The controversial bill that allows hospital patients to be relocated to long-term care homes without their consent has passed at Queen’s Park.
The legislation is aimed at freeing up hospital beds.
The opposition allege it means patients being sent to facilities far from their family members if necessary.
The NDP and Liberals have repeatedly claim that in northern Ontario, patients could be moved up to 300 kilometres from their homes.
Long-Term Care Minister Paul Calandra says that’s far from the truth.
Calandra also insists the legislation will ensure those waiting to go to long-term care, have a better opportunity.
Interim NDP leader Peter Tabuns calls it a dangerous scheme.
Tabuns claims seniors are being told they will have to pay huge fees to stay in the hospital, fees the government hasn’t figured out or refuses to reveal.
Premier Doug Ford says hospitals and Ontario Health are working out what the billing amount might be.
Tabuns went on to say, “Mr. Ford is playing a cruel shell game, shunting people from a badly understaffed hospital system into a badly understaffed long-term care system against their wishes.”
He adds everyone has to work together to tackle the worsening health care staffing crisis and states, “That means scrapping Ford’s wage-capping legislation, so we can attract, hire, train, retain and return nurses, and speeding up the recognition of internationally trained professionals.”
