OTTAWA — NDP MPP Joel Harden (Ottawa Centre) issued the following statement in response to an order for Extendicare Starwood to come under the temporary management of The Ottawa Hospital as it grapples with a serious COVID-19 outbreak: “Doug Ford has spent the last month insisting that Ontario’s long-term care sector was prepared for a second wave of COVID-19 despite reports that nursing homes are desperately understaffed and unprepared for the second wave. Now, we are again seeing for-profit homes unable to deal with outbreaks and protect residents. It’s good news to see hospitals taking over management, and the NDP is incredibly grateful for long-term care and hospital staff — but the question remains: Why did it come to this? Doug Ford is sitting on more than $9 billion in COVID-19 preparation and relief funding that he’s refusing to spend.”
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