OSHAWA — The Ontario government is investing nearly $17 million in two programs that will support the training of 700 new personal support workers (PSWs) and nurses in long-term care in 2025. This investment builds on the success of these two programs that have already helped over 27,500 students complete placements in long-term care and upskilled more than 170 long-term care staff to become PSWs, as part of the government’s Your Health plan to recruit and retain tens of thousands of long-term care staff over the coming years.
“Our government is growing the long-term care workforce so residents get more of the high-quality care they need in the right place,” said Natalia Kusendova-Bashta, Minister of Long-Term Care. “At the same time, we’re helping people upskill to new careers and making sure nursing and PSW students gain meaningful hands-on experience as part of their training.”
Ontario is investing $14 million to expand the Preceptor Resource and Education Program for Long-Term Care (PREP LTC). Since its launch in 2022, the program has helped more than 500 long-term care homes provide clinical placements for over 27,500 nursing and personal support worker students. With the new investment, the program will support 650 new clinical placements this year, and help these long-term care homes train more than 500 new preceptors who supervise students and help long-term care homes backfill staff while they are in the preceptor role.
The government is also investing $2.6 million to expand the PSW Learn and Earn Accelerated Program at Humber Polytechnic, which helps staff at long-term care homes train to become certified personal support workers. This expanded investment will create space for an additional cohort of 100 existing long-term care staff currently providing personal support services without a formal PSW certificate, an opportunity to upskill and receive their certificate and continue working in their role as a PSW.
These programs, together with other targeted investments and collaborations with postsecondary partners has helped hire, train and retain more than 24,000 PSWs and 3,000 nurse graduates since 2020, including:
investing nearly $11 million in the Living Classroom program which will support the training of up to 900 new PSWs on-site in local long-term care homes across Ontario
providing ongoing education and training opportunities for more than 45,000 eligible staff in long-term care homes since the launch of the Supporting Professional Growth Fund in 2021
helping over 1,000 internationally educated nurses become qualified registered nurses in Ontario through the Supervised Practice Experience Partnership Program in Long-Term Care. Since 2022, almost 150 additional nurse practitioners full-time equivalent positions have been added across 155 long-term care homes under the Hiring More Nurse Practitioners for Long-Term Care initiative.
The government is fixing long-term care to ensure our seniors receive the quality of care they need and deserve. Our plan is built on four pillars: staffing and care; quality and enforcement; building modern, safe and comfortable homes; and connecting seniors with faster, more convenient access to the services they need.
Quick Facts
Ontario is offering incentives to students and recent graduates of personal support worker education programs to launch careers in long-term care homes and in the home and community care sector.
The Learn and Earn Program was developed in partnership with Humber Polytechnic and expanded in 2023.
The Ontario government is investing up to $4.9 billion to create thousands of new positions for personal support workers and nurses in long-term care.
As part of its plan to fix long-term care and address sector waitlists, the government is building 58,000 new and upgraded long-term care beds across the province.
Quotes
"This investment is the latest example of our government’s commitment to ensuring Ontario worker have the skills required to meet our province’s labour market needs. The expansion of these two critical education programs will ensure our long-term care homes have excellent, well-equipped workers for decades to come."
- Nolan Quinn
Minister of Colleges and Universities
"This significant investment in the PREP LTC and Learn and Earn will further expand these programs’ profound impact on long-term care across Ontario. By expanding training opportunities and supporting workforce growth, we not only enhance quality of care for residents but also empower individuals to build fulfilling careers in this vital sector. These programs represent a meaningful step towards a stronger, more resilient long-term care system where quality of life for residents is maximized."
- Dr. Kumanan Wilson
CEO of Bruyère Health Research Institute, a host of the Ontario Centres for Learning, Research and Innovation in Long-Term Care
"The Learn & Earn Accelerated Program is a valuable tool for upskilling within the long-term care sector as it enables learners to continue working while they train. Humber Polytechnic has proudly provided the program to several cohorts already and we look forward to continued partnership with the Ontario government to offer this incredible opportunity to more learners in this vital profession."
- Ann Marie Vaughan
President and CEO, Humber Polytechnic
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