This morning, we’ve had a lot of talk of investing in the next generation, but we also have to remember where we came from. We need to talk about the generation that created us; that’s our seniors, and I’m glad the member asked that question.
Let’s not forget that the Liberals failed to invest in our seniors. This led to an underfunding of the long-term-care sector, huge wait-lists and unnecessary hospitalizations. In some cases, this forced our seniors to move to long-term-care homes way outside their community to receive the care they needed. That’s why this government is investing over $120 million this fiscal year to support residents with complex medical needs.
The member is right: Seniors are living longer. That means there are more complications. That’s why this investment includes $20 million into the local priorities fund—a fund that allows Ontario Health to make targeted investments in staffing, equipment and services. This local priorities fund had a tremendous first year, supporting 189 projects across the province. We’re not going to stop there. We’re going to continue to invest in our seniors.