When it comes to improving senior’s long-term care, the time to act is now.
So emphasized Richard Gould, the mayor of Calvin Township. Mayor Gould recently petitioned the province to do more to help our elderly, and to better fund long-term care homes. Moreso, he wants the province to fully fund the $121 million Cassellholme redevelopment.
“We are facing an urgent crisis in long-term care, particularly in Northern Ontario,” the mayor told Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy, earlier this month.
Gould added, “Our aging population is growing at an alarming rate. Facilities are overcrowded. Waitlists are unbearable. Home care is insufficient. And the financial burden is falling disproportionately on municipal taxpayers, putting immense strain on families and communities.”
“This cannot continue,” the mayor concluded.
Mayor Gould elaborated on the municipal financial burden, noting that the Cassellholme project is costing $121 million. All of that money comes from taxpayers in eight municipalities. Paid over 30 years, with interest, the mayor noted the total cost “Will balloon to a quarter of a billion dollars.”
That’s all coming from the municipal taxpayer. Mayor Gould broke it down, “That’s $3,800 for every person in the region — and $6,360 for every resident of Calvin. And it doesn’t end there. Residents will also pay for the ongoing operating costs, all while the waiting list grows to over 350 names.”
See: Cassellholme fees ‘crippling for Mattawa’ Mayor Bélanger warns
Mayor Gould suggested the province lobby the federal government to increase funding for long-term care. He also urged the province “To triple Ontario’s investment in long-term care to alleviate the pressure on hospitals and medical staff.”
He also asked the province to fully fund the $121 million Cassellholme redevelopment, “And stop downloading provincial responsibilities to municipal taxpayers.”
Mayor Gould emphasized, “This is how we can reduce the suffering of the elderly, ease the burden on our hospitals, and help make housing more affordable. The time to act is now. Our seniors deserve better, and our communities cannot afford to wait.”
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
