A C T U A L I T É S • N E W S
EOWC RELEASES REVIEW INTO LONG-TERM CARE HOMES
EAP NEWSROOM news@eap.on.ca
Five Recommendations “The COVID-19 pandemic placed a spot- light on a number of pre-existing challenges that have been pervasive in Ontario’s long- term care sector for many years,” stated the EOWC report brief. “The EOWC is committed to working closely with the province and other key stakeholders in order to create a world-class long-term care system.” The EOWC’s five recommendations for improving LTCs include increased direct care funding for the facilities to meet the provincial care model goal; changing to a per-bed funding formula “to increase clarity, efficiency, and transparency” of the funding process; increase provincial capital funding and make it more predictable for municipal budget planning for LTCs, and provide ongo- ing capital maintenance aid; promote and support resource sharing between LTCs; and improve the long-term care processes to increase efficiency and effectiveness. EOWC officials presented the report to Merrilee Fullerton, long-term care minister, for discussion during the Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) virtual con- ference, January 25 and 26. The report is available on the EOWC website at http:// www.eowc.org/en/economic-development- sustainability/economic-briefing-notes. aspx.
Eastern Ontario has five suggestions to the provincial government for long-term improvement of Ontario’s senior care facilities. The Eastern Ontario Wardens Caucus (EOWC) released its two-part review of municipally owned and operated long-term care facilities within the region. The report includes five recommendations to the pro- vincial government for dealing with some of the issues and problems for long-term care facilities (LTCs) that have been in the spotlight during the pandemic. “Long-term care is a key priority for the EOWC, and EOWC Members are vital part- ners in the delivery of long-term care,” stated EOWC Chair Debbie Robinson. “When I think of long-term care and how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted our residents and families, we must ensure that systemic issues that have been identified across the sector are addressed. The EOWC has demonstrated that we are a willing partner and are able to provide on-the-ground leader- ship to implement changes.” There are 15 LTCs in Eastern Ontario that are owned and operated by municipalities that are EOWC members. These LTCs have a combined total of 2,386 licensed beds for residents living at those facilities because they are seniors or are people in need of long-term specialized care.
Les établissements de soins de longue durée (SLD) publics comme la Résidence Prescott- Russell ont dû faire face à un certain nombre de problèmes de soins créés par la pandémie. Le Eastern Ontario Wardens Caucus a présenté au gouvernement provincial son propre
rapport, analysant les problèmes des SLD que ses municipalités membres gèrent et proposant cinq recommandations pour aider à résoudre ces problèmes. —photo d’archives
PUBLIC SKI TRACK FOR HAWKESBURY’S CONFEDERATION PARK?
NEW PLAN PROPOSED FOR REGIONAL TRANSIT PROJECT
GREGG CHAMBERLAIN gregg.chamberlain@eap.on.ca
transportation fund grant for a four-year pilot regional transit project. PR Transpo began operations in October 2019 but shut down in spring 2020 because of the pandemic. The regional transit system restarted in September and shut down again in October because of low ridership due to the second wave of the pandemic. The province will not let the UCPR use the transportation grant for any other purposes. Lavigne’s research into on-cal transit service may offer a way to maintain PR Transpo on a limited but cost-effective basis. “It’s not an Uber and it’s not a taxi ser- vice,” Lavigne said, regarding the concept. “It’s still a bus service. They (buses) don’t pick you up at your home. They pick you up at a stop.” Desoronto, a town in Hastings County, has an on-call transit service for its rural area. The town has the same population size and general geography as Prescott- Russell and Lavigne’s research will include details on how that system operates. Lavigne hopes to have a more detailed report to present to the advisory commit- tee and UCPR council at a later date.
Le parc de la Confédération pourrait servir de piste de ski de fond publique pendant l’hiver pour les résidents de Hawkesbury et les visiteurs de la ville. Le conseiller Antonios Tsourounakis pense que l’idée vaut la peine d’être poursuivie si des barrières temporaires contre le vent étaient installées pour fournir un abri contre les vents de moins de zéro provenant de la rivière des Outaouais. —photo Gregg Chamberlain
PR Transpo may be in limbo again but the regional transit project is not dead. Carole Lavigne, economic develop- ment and tourism director for the United Counties of Prescott-Russell (UCPR), is looking into feasibility of transforming the PR Transpo system into an on-call regional transit service. Her efforts have the support of UCPR Warden Pierre Leroux and the mayors sitting on the economic development advisory committee. “It’s great to have a plan,” said Leroux, “and I look forward to seeing the (final) plan come back.” Lavigne presented a preliminary report on the proposal to the advisory committee last year. The report included results of two computer simulations of how a successful on-call regional transit system could work. “We now need a few actual tests,” Lavi- gne said, during a later phone interview. “This would be something that we could try for six months or so.” The UCPR received a provincial
GREGG CHAMBERLAIN gregg.chamberlain@eap.on.ca
encourage more use of the municipal park. Most council members expressed inter- est in the idea but also doubt that it would be feasible because of the park’s location alongside the Ottawa River. The main objec- tion was that the park is too exposed during winter and that skiers would suffer from the cold winds blowing off the river. Several councilors also noted that residents have Old Mill Park and other neighbourhood parks available for outdoor recreation activities during winter. Councillor Tsourounakis indicated during a later interview that he will continue to pursue the idea of ski track at Confedera- tion Park. He will check into what type of temporary windbreaks might be feasible for the park and also the park’s potential to serve as the site for a winter festival for Hawkesbury similar to Ottawa’s annual Winterlude.
A suggestion for a public cross-country ski track at Confederation Park got a cool reception at Hawkesbury council but the councillor who suggested the idea is not giving up on it. “I still think it would be a cost-effective way to give citizens something to do,” said Councillor Antonios Tsourounakis, during a phone interview. During the January 19 council session, Tsourounakis suggested the municipality look into the feasibility of creating a cross- country ski track that would circle around Confederation Park. He indicated such a track would cost little to develop and main- tain, would provide a free recreation oppor- tunity for residents dealing with limited travel options during the pandemic, and also help
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