Every senior in Canada deserves to live in dignity, safety and comfort, regardless of where they live, and the Government of Canada is committed to doing more to support seniors across the country.
On February 7, 2023, the Government of Canada announced an investment of $198.6 billion over 10 years to improve health care services for Canadians. With this investment, we are focusing on key health priorities, including better family health services, more sustainable health workforce, shorter wait times, improved mental health services, modernizing the health care system, improving access to patient's health information, and helping Canadians age safely and with dignity.
Helping Canadians age with dignity, closer to home, with access to home care or safe long-term care (LTC) remains a priority. We are delivering real results through the announced investment of $1.7 billion over 5 years to support hourly wage increases for personal support workers and related professions, as well as through the joint investment with provinces and territories of $6 billion over 5 years for home and community care.
Today, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health, and the Honourable Kamal Khera, Minister of Seniors, reiterated the Government's commitment to help ensure quality, safe and respectful care for seniors in LTC homes across Canada. This follows the January 31, 2023 release of two independent LTC standards from CSA Group and the Health Standards Organization (HSO), which provide guidance for delivering services that are safe, reliable and - most importantly - centred on residents' needs.
The COVID-19 pandemic shone a light on the problems in LTC and highlighted long-standing, and systemic challenges in infection prevention and control, staffing, infrastructure, and quality of care in LTC across Canada. The Government of Canada knows that strengthening compliance and enforcement activities in LTC facilities, as well as supporting workforce stability through wage top ups and improvements to workplace conditions, is essential to improved care for patients. This can also create a more positive and healthier environment for all who live or work in LTC.
That is why the Government of Canada provided close to $850,000 in funding to the HSO and CSA Group to support enhanced engagement in the development of these standards. Over 20,000 long-term care home residents, members of the workforce, leaders, and other Canadians participated in the consultations on these standards to reflect what Canadians expect from LTC. We thank the HSO and CSA group for their dedicated work and expertise.
These standards complement the Government's ongoing work with provinces and territories to help support improvements in LTC. Budget 2021 provided $3 billion over five years to support provinces and territories in their efforts to improve LTC in their jurisdictions. This is in addition to the $1 billion provided through the 2020 Fall Economic Statement for the creation of the Safe LTC Fund, to protect people living and working in LTC.
While a majority of Canadians want to age closer to home and family, they also expect LTC - if it is needed - to be high quality and safe. In the coming months, the Government of Canada will move forward with consultations and engagement with stakeholders and Canadians on the Safe LTC Act.
