OCSA launches ‘Everyone Needs Home and Community Care’ campaign ahead of 2025 provincial election
Calls on all candidates to pledge to support home and community care
ONTARIO, January 30, 2025 – The Ontario Community Support Association (OCSA) is calling on all candidates in the upcoming provincial election to pledge their support for home and community care, ensuring Ontarians can access the care they need, where they want it. The ‘Everyone Needs Home and Community Care’ campaign highlights the urgent need to expand home care and community support services and close the growing wage gap for frontline workers in community health.
Across the province, seniors, children with complex medical conditions and people with disabilities depend on home and community care. With Ontario’s senior population expected to grow by more than 650,000 by 2029, demand for services is increasing rapidly. Some Community Support Service organizations have seen waitlists increase in size eight times this year, and the province needs approximately 6800 additional personal support workers by 2028 just to maintain current service levels.
“The reality is that everyone, at some point in their lives, will need home and community care,” said Deborah Simon, CEO of OCSA. “Seniors and people with disabilities rely on it to live well and safely at home. Families juggling work and caregiving responsibilities need it to maintain balance. Children with complex medical conditions depend on it to attend school and thrive. Volunteers use it to stay active and contribute to their communities. We are calling on all candidates to recognize the value of our sector and commit to expanding these services so all Ontarians have access to the care they deserve.”
As part of the campaign, OCSA is asking all candidates to commit to two key pledges: Expand Home and Community Care Services – Reduce waitlists and ensure Ontarians can receive care at home, preventing unnecessary hospital and long-term care admissions. Close the Wage Gap to Build a Strong Workforce – Achieve wage parity for Personal Support Workers (PSWs) and community nurses to retain and recruit skilled frontline workers, creating over 23.5 million additional care hours for Ontarians.
Home and community care plays a critical role in reducing hospital overcrowding and long-term care placements. Data shows that 5.7% of long-term care admissions could be avoided if proper home care services were available. Furthermore, closing the wage gap would retain 1 in 5 PSWs who would otherwise leave the sector—helping to address the current workforce crisis.
OCSA is calling on all candidates and political parties to take action by signing the pledge at www.ocsa.on.ca. Voters are also encouraged to raise the issue with their local candidates and advocate for stronger home and community care policies.
For more information, visit www.ocsa.on.ca and follow the conversation using #EveryoneNeedsHCC.
About OCSA
The Ontario Community Support Association (OCSA) champions a strong, sustainable home and community care sector in Ontario. The association represents over 220 not-for-profit organizations deliver high-quality services that help seniors, people with disabilities, and those with complex care needs remain independent in their homes and communities. These proactive and cost-effective services prevent unnecessary hospitalizations, emergency room visits and premature institutionalization. For more information visit www.ocsa.on.ca or @OCSATweets
For media inquiries please contact:
Karla Sealy (she/her)
Manager of Communications
416-256-3010/1-800-267-6272, ext 242
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