Province takes over Toronto long-term care home as premier pledges to spare no effort to protect residents

Premier Doug Ford said Friday he will do everything necessary to protect the most vulnerable as a hospital takes control of a North York long-term care home due to a COVID-19 outbreak.

The province has appointed Humber River Hospital to temporarily manage Villa Colombo, which is located at 40 Playfair Avenue in North York.

"What we are trying to do is match up the hospitals with long-term care homes and we're doing it right across the province," Ford said at an event in Kitchener-Waterloo.

"As soon as we see things not improving in certain areas, as soon as they hit code red we move in. But before we move in we try to help them get from code red down to yellow, down to green.

Twenty-seven people have died of COVID-19 at the home, while another 16 residents and five staff have tested positive for the virus.

Long-term care homes have been hit hard by the pandemic, with residents of Ontario's homes accounting for more than 62 per cent of COVID-19 deaths. Hospital groups have been brought in to help a number of facilities weather outbreaks, while the Canadian Armed Forces have provided personnel to help some homes cope with the virus. 

Hospital working with staff at the home for weeks

The government says the hospital had been working with staff at the home for weeks to contain the virus's spread.

In early May, the government issued an emergency order allowing it to appoint temporary managers to long-term care homes that are unable to contain outbreaks.

Since then, the government has used the order to appoint hospitals as temporary management at a number of homes.

"Obviously things aren't going the way that we expected them to go with certain long-term care homes so we're moving the hospitals in there to take over," Ford said. 

"I won't hesitate in getting hospitals to take over long-term care homes to protect the most vulnerable people in those homes."

Ontario relaxes long-term care visiting rules

Humber River Hospital's takeover of Villa Colombo comes as visitor restrictions have recently loosened for homes, allowing outdoor visits. Indoor visits will be allowed starting next Wednesday.

The news has been welcomed by families who have not been able to get close to their loved ones for around four months.

On Friday, CBC News spoke with Willy Bennett, who was about to see his mom face-to-face for the first time since visitors were restricted.

"I'm actually looking forward to it. I had a window visit with her twice but it's been a long four months," Bennett said.

"Sometimes, we take mothers for granted and we forget that they're actually angels in aprons," he added.

"The main thing is to let her know that she is not by herself, that she's still got some family," Bennett said.

Bennett's mom, who is in her 80s, earlier tested positive for COVID-19.

"That was actually kind of scary but mom's a tough old bird so she kicked it to the corner and now she's back to her feisty, little funny self," Bennet said.

We're happy about it

Sharleen Stewart, president of SEIU Healthcare, a union that represents about 60,000 health-care workers, also welcomed the news that families can once again see their loved ones.

"We and the workers absolutely want families reunited. It's been a long, very emotional time for them, so to have them reunited is good for everybody," Stewart told CBC News.

"My concern, though, is making sure that this never happens again. We have to be better prepared for another possible surge to make sure that families do not go months and months without seeing their loved ones.

"Of course, in some cases, you know 1,800 families have lost loved ones that they were not able to say goodbye to. So, let this be a lesson to us that we need to be prepared for a possible next surge," she added.

Stewart said the government absolutely has to make staffing in long-term care homes its top priority.

"Unless you have the staff to provide the care that's needed … we're going to remain in a crisis that we witnessed over the last five months," she said.

"I'm very concerned that the government is not making that the number one priority."