Ontario Implements Further Protections for Most Vulnerable

Ontario has issued three new emergency measures to protect the most vulnerable.  “In order to better protect our seniors, people with various abilities, and the homeless population, along with our heroic frontline workers, our government is adopting emergency measures to provide flexibility in a variety of staffing arrangements to help stop the spread of this terrible virus,” Ontario Premier Doug Ford said.

The following measures are now in place:

• Restricting retirement home employees from working in more than one retirement home, long-term care home or health care setting, with compliance required by April 22, 2020;
• Providing Local Health Integration Networks with the ability to direct home care service provider organizations to safely reassign frontline staff to areas where they are most needed, including home and community care settings, long-term care homes, supportive housing, retirement homes and hospitals;
• Providing municipalities and District Social Service Administration Boards with the flexibility to offer reassignments to certain staff to where there is local need during the outbreak, including child care, by-law enforcement, and public health services

The new staffing measures allow municipalities, or Social Services Administration boards to determine where there are staffing needs.  “We have heard the concerns of our municipal partners and are taking action to ensure they have the support they need to help their communities during the outbreak to address local needs,” Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Steve Clark said.  All employers  expected to comply with provincial orders as well health & safety guidelines set out by the Ontario government.