Increasing Wages for Personal Support Workers
$461 million investment to ensure these vital professionals receive the appreciation and respect they deserve
Our PC government values personal support workers (PSW) and the important services they provide to Ontarians. PSW wages do not reflect the critical role they have played throughout this pandemic, in addition to their ongoing care of our loved ones.
That’s why our PC government is investing $461 million to bridge that gap and ensure this vital profession receives the appreciation and respect it deserves by temporarily increasing wages for PSWs and direct support workers in home and community care, long-term care, public hospitals, and social services sectors.
“Personal support workers and direct support workers care for some of our most vulnerable patients and have been critical in the fight against COVID-19,” said Christine Elliott, MPP for Newmarket-Aurora and Minister of Health. “The pandemic has created additional pressures on these workers and as cases increase and we prepare for the upcoming flu season, this wage enhancement recognizes their important role in providing care for those in need.”
Effective October 1, 2020, we are providing a temporary wage increase to over 147,000 workers who deliver publicly funded personal support services:
- $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 12,300 eligible workers in public hospitals; and
- $3 per hour for approximately 47,000 eligible workers in children, community and social services providing personal direct support services for the activities of daily living.
This investment will help the province attract and retain the workforce needed to care for patients, clients and residents in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and help maintain more consistent wages and retain support workers across all of our sectors. It builds on the province’s COVID-19 fall preparedness plan which includes an investment of $26.3 million to support PSWs and supportive care workers.