Ottawa To Invest $22M For N.B. Long-Term Care

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Tuesday that Ottawa will partner with the New Brunswick government to work to improve the care for residents in the region’s long-term care homes.

Trudeau made the announcement at a news conference held in Dalhousie, N.B., at the Golden Age Club. New Brunswick Social Development Minister Bruce Fitch and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc also attended the event.

As part of the Safe Long-Term Care Fund agreement, the federal government will provide $22 million in funding to support New Brunswick’s long-term care facilities. Trudeau said the money will go towards hiring more staff, along with upgrades to heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.

During his election campaign in August 2021, Trudeau said a re-elected Liberal government would spend $9 billion to address problems within Canada’s long-term care sector. Trudeau recognized that it has been a difficult two years when it comes to staffing shortages.

“People have been overwhelmed with work, so much so that a lot of our front-line health-care workers decided that it was time to take early retirement, which puts all the more pressure on people in the system,” said Trudeau.

“Conditions of care and quality of care are directly related to the work conditions for the people who choose to work on the front lines to support our most vulnerable, and that’s where we need to continue to step up for them.”

According to New Brunswick’s social development minister, Bruce Fitch, there are 546 long-term care homes in New Brunswick, which provide care to roughly 11,600 residents. He said the agreement would ensure those residents will receive proper care.

“Having a happy, healthy life is a goal that we all strive for,” said Fitch. “We continue to look to our partners and the opportunities we have in the future to make sure that the population here in New Brunswick is looked after.”