Health Minister George Smitherman says his government will upgrade 35,000 of the province's older long-term-care beds over the next decade.

Smitherman says the province will ensure long-term-care homes in smaller communities get a fair share of cash to upgrade their facilities.

The upgrades will start next year and the province will redevelop about 3,500 bedseach year over the next 10 years.

Smitherman says it will cost $15 million a year to make older homes more comfortable.

Ontario's local health integration networks will help the province decide which facilities get the funding.

Karen Sullivan, with the Ontario Long Term Care Association, says she hopes the cash will fix the current disparity between new homes and older ones.