The Ontario government says it is investing more than $26 million to train nearly 3,000 new frontline staff in the long-term care sector, while supporting professional development and allowing students to study and work in their home communities.
The funding, announced January 6 by the Ministry of Long-Term Care, is part of the province’s broader plan to strengthen staffing levels and improve care for residents across Ontario.
“Our government continues to make historic investments to train more staff in long-term care,” said Natalia Kusendova-Bashta, Minister of Long-Term Care. “These new investments will help train a new generation of professionals and support those already qualified to grow their careers, ensuring long-term care residents receive the quality of care and quality of life they need and deserve.”
The investment builds on Ontario’s $4.9 billion, four-year staffing plan focused on recruitment, training and retention, which the province says has helped add tens of thousands of personal support workers and nurses to the workforce. The latest funding will support training through expanded professional development for current long-term care workers and the continued growth of the Living Classrooms model, which integrates education directly into long-term care homes.
Through the Supporting Professional Growth Fund, Ontario is providing additional funding to train and upskill staff already working in long-term care. Since 2022, the program has supported more than 92,000 eligible workers in advancing their careers and enhancing resident care. At the same time, the province is investing in Living Classrooms to expand training opportunities for personal support workers and registered practical nurses, allowing students to learn and work within long-term care homes in their local communities.
Unlike traditional programs that separate classroom learning from clinical placements, the Living Classrooms approach alternates in-class education with hands-on work inside long-term care homes, giving students practical experience while they train.
“Every day, long-term care workers deliver compassionate and high-quality care for our loved ones throughout the province,” said Nolan Quinn, Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security. “Through this investment, our government is protecting Ontario by ensuring that future long-term care providers get both the world-class education and hands-on skills they need to thrive in their careers and meaningfully contribute to our health care workforce.”
The province says strengthening the long-term care workforce supports its broader plan to improve care, which includes staffing and care standards, quality and enforcement measures, building modern and safe homes, and improving access to services for seniors. Ontario has also pointed to recent investments in nursing programs, incentives for personal support workers, and progress in increasing daily direct care hours, as well as plans to build tens of thousands of new and upgraded long-term care beds across the province.
