Temporary wage enhancements for personal support workers and direct support workers will be extended.
The wage enhancements will be extended until June 30th, 2021 to help stabilize, attract and retain the workforce.
The province has been providing a temporary wage increase since October 1, 2020 to over 158,000 workers who deliver publicly funded personal support services, including:
- $3 per hour for approximately 38,000 eligible workers in home and community care;
- $3 per hour for approximately 50,000 eligible workers in long-term care;
- $2 per hour for approximately 10,000 eligible workers in public hospitals; and
- $3 per hour for approximately 60,000 eligible workers in children, community and social services providing personal direct support services for the activities of daily living.
The Ontario government will continue to review the temporary wage enhancement to inform next steps after June 30, 2021.
The government also recently announced an investment of over $115 million to accelerate training for up to 8,200 new personal support workers for Ontario’s health and long-term care sectors. Registration for the program is available through the Ontario College Application Service.
Minister of Long-Term Care Dr. Merrilee Fullerton says personal support workers are the backbone of long-term care, and every day they do important work to care for our loved ones. She adds as they modernize long-term care, they are making it a better place for residents to live and a better place for staff to work.
On March 24, 2021, the government will release the 2021 Ontario Budget. It will focus on protecting people’s health, with a plan to defeat COVID-19, and support people and jobs.
