Ontario Extending Temporary Wage Enhancement for Personal Support Workers

Ontario Extending Temporary Wage Enhancement for Personal Support Workers

Protecting our Progress by Supporting Frontline Health Care Workers in Fight Against COVID-19

October 28, 2021

Health

Children, Community and Social Services

Treasury Board Secretariat

Long-Term Care


TORONTO ― The Ontario government is investing an additional $373 million to extend the temporary wage enhancement for personal support workers and direct support workers. This increase will continue until March 31, 2022 and will help attract and retain workers in these critical sectors to protect Ontario’s progress while continuing to take a cautious and careful approach to reopening.

“Personal support workers and direct support workers are essential in our fight against COVID-19, and we are extending these temporary wage enhancements in recognition of their dedication to protecting the health and well-being of Ontarians during the pandemic,” said Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “Our government is protecting our progress by ensuring we attract and retain these essential healthcare workers so that our province’s most vulnerable patients continue to have access to the high-quality care they need.”

The government is extending the wage enhancement for over 158,000 personal support workers and direct support workers who deliver publicly funded personal support services or direct support services in home and community care, long-term care, public hospitals, and social services. This temporary wage enhancement includes:

  • $3 per hour for approximately 38,000 eligible workers in home and community care;
  • $3 per hour for approximately 50,000 eligible workers in long-term care;
  • $2 per hour for approximately 10,000 eligible workers in public hospitals; and
  • $3 per hour for approximately 60,000 eligible workers in children, community and social services providing personal direct support services to those who need assistance with the activities of daily living.

Since October 1, 2020, Ontario has invested over $1.3 billion to temporarily enhance wages for personal support workers and direct support workers to help stabilize, attract and retain the workforce needed to provide a high level of care during the COVID-19 pandemic. This latest temporary wage increase builds on the government’s previous wage enhancement extension on August 23, 2021, which was set to expire on October 31, 2021. The government continues to explore a permanent solution to address a range of longstanding recruitment and retention issues among personal support workers and direct support workers.

“This investment is a recognition of the hard work and ongoing sacrifices that personal support workers and direct support workers continue to make to keep Ontarians, including our province’s most vulnerable, safe and healthy,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, President of the Treasury Board. “As a government, we are committed to improving home and community care, long-term care, public hospitals and the social services sector in every corner of this province.”

“Throughout the pandemic, personal support workers have provided quality care to our residents,” said Rod Phillips, Minister of Long-Term Care. “They are the backbone of long-term care, and by improving their work experience in the sector, we will meet our commitment to recruit and retain thousands of personal support workers over the next few years.”

“Personal and direct support workers continue to do an incredible job of ensuring that children and adults with special needs and developmental disabilities are well cared for in our vulnerable settings,” said Dr. Merrilee Fullerton, Minister of Children, Community and Social Services. “We have said throughout the pandemic that we will ensure that they are recognized for this important work, and we continue to deliver on that promise with the extension of the wage enhancement.”


Quick Facts

  • Personal support workers provide a wide range of services in home and community care, which also reduces or delays the need for more costly care in hospitals and long-term care homes.
  • In October 2020, Ontario provided $461 million to temporarily enhance wages for personal support workers and direct support workers. This was followed by additional investments of $549 million total for three extensions of the temporary wage increase on March 18June 11, and August 23, 2021.
  • Through the COVID-19 Fall Preparedness Plan, the government invested $52.5 million to recruit, retain and support over 3,700 more frontline health care workers and caregivers. It is one of the largest health care recruiting and training programs in Ontario’s history.

Quotes

“We welcome this critical investment in frontline home and community care. Personal support workers and direct support workers have played an essential role in keeping people safely living at home during the COVID 19 pandemic.”

– Jo-Anne Poirier
President and CEO, Von Canada

“The Ontario Personal Support Workers Association applauds the Ontario government for continuing to extend the wage enhancement for public sector personal support workers (PSWs). Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, PSWs have been at the forefront defending our most vulnerable populations. The wage enhancement has helped many of our members to keep going and will continue to help them moving forward. Their ongoing dedication to their patients has not gone unnoticed by this government nor the people of Ontario.”

– Miranda Ferrier
CEO, Ontario Personal Support Workers Association

“The extension of the PSW wage enhancement is welcomed along with the fact that this is being equally applied across all sectors of our healthcare system. This recognition of the critical role that PSWs play in supporting the most vulnerable members of our society has assisted all healthcare organizations recruit and retain PSWs in a time when they are needed most.”

– Connie Clerici
Executive Chair, Closing the Gap Healthcare

“We applaud the government’s decision to extend the temporary wage enhancement for PSWs. This is one important step in in recognizing the vital role frontline staff play in caring for Ontario’s seniors.”

– Lisa Levin
CEO, AdvantAge Ontario

“We would like to thank the Government of Ontario for recognizing the incredible work of Bayshore’s staff providing personal support services to allow Ontarians to remain safely at home. With the increased cost of living, our personal support services staff have become reliant on this funding. We will continue to work with our government partners to create a better understanding about the value and importance of home health care in the Canadian health care system.”

– Stuart J. Cottrelle
President, Bayshore Home Solutions

“We are pleased to see the ongoing investment in our personal support workers, which is critically required. Whether they work in home care, long-term care, public hospitals or social services, PSWs are cherished for the role they play in helping Ontarians live with health, vitality and dignity – and we need more of them! By taking a systems view and continuing this temporary wage enhancement for all eligible PSWs, the government is helping to ensure all sectors can be successful at recruiting and retaining PSWs in the communities we serve.”

– Shirlee Sharkey
CEO, SE Health


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