Ontario nursing homes losing staff to Amazon and film industry, association says

A group representing the majority of Ontario’s long-term care homes say they are losing staff to places like Amazon, airports and the film industry.

The Ontario Long-Term Care Association says the staffing crisis is worsening now that other industries need people like infection prevention and control specialists.

Staffing shortages have been cited to the province’s long-term care commission as one of the primary reasons COVID-19 had such devastating effects in nursing homes.

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CEO Donna Duncan says addressing that issue is one of its top recommendations to the province ahead of the upcoming budget.

She says money alone will not solve the staffing problem as pay increases last summer have not increased the numbers of qualified workers.

COVID-19 has killed more than 3,700 residents in Ontario’s long-term care homes.