Ontario largely ignored long-term care as COVID-19 crisis began, internal documents reveal – CBC

New reports from auditor general and long-term care commission expected to critique government’s actions

Apr 28, 2021

Internal government documents obtained by CBC News show few signs that Ontario prepared the long-term care sector for the risks from COVID-19 before the virus began its deadly spread through the province’s nursing homes.

CBC News asked the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Long-Term Care for all reports, memos and briefing notes concerning the novel coronavirus/COVID-19 and long-term care homes in February, March and April of 2020.

Only a handful of documents from the ministries mention protecting long-term care residents in February, even as cases were steadily arriving in Ontario and the devastation from the infections in Italy became apparent.

Taken as a whole, the documents add to the evidence suggesting the provincial government devoted far less attention to readying the long-term care sector for the impact of the coronavirus than hospitals.

Ontario largely ignored long-term care as COVID-19 crisis began, internal documents reveal – CBC

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