VICTORIA -- Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau is campaigning for seniors' votes, pledging to train up to 50,000 new personal support workers and guarantee them a minimum wage of at least $25 per hour.
Trudeau says the pandemic has been devastating for Canada's seniors, especially those in long-term care.
Long-term care residents have accounted for the majority of COVID-19 deaths in Canada.
During a campaign stop Thursday in Victoria, Trudeau said that while health care is the jurisdiction of provinces and territories, a re-elected Liberal government would work with them to support seniors.
The Liberals would give provinces and territories $3 billion to improve the quality and availability of long-term care beds, and develop a Safe Long Term Care Act to ensure standards are upheld across the country, he said.
The party says the seniors' promises would cost about $9 billion over five years.
Trudeau was careful to say the federal government would not micromanage long-term care, but pledged the Liberals would also work with provinces to support seniors by:
- Doubling the Home Accessibility Tax Credit, which will provide up to an additional $1,500 to help seniors stay in their homes longer by making them more accessible; and
- continuing to implement strict infection prevention and control measures, including through more provincial and territorial facility inspections for long-term care homes.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 19, 2021.
