Last of Canadian military leaving long-term care homes in Ontario
Posted July 3, 2020 12:25 pm.
The Ontario government says soldiers are no longer working in any of the province’s long-term care homes.
Members of the Canadian Armed Forces were first deployed in April to homes hit especially hard by COVID-19.
Military nurses and other technicians ultimately spent time in seven homes mostly in and around the Toronto area.
The last of the army personnel is expected to withdraw Friday.
A report prepared by troops working in the homes sent shockwaves through the province in May.
It detailed horrifying conditions in some of the homes, including allegations of neglect and failure to follow sound health protocols.
The report intensified calls to reform Ontario’s long-term care system, and Premier Doug Ford has promised an independent commission will study how seniors’ care is handled in the province.
Ford thanked the Armed Forces for their support at the height of the COVID-19 crisis.
