March 18, 2021 – Toronto Star
Ontario let a ‘flood’ of temp agencies into long-term care during COVID-19. How precarious work put residents and caregivers at risk
By: Jennifer Yang
When COVID hit, this movement between work sites became a huge risk factor. The problem was recognized early in British Columbia, which moved quickly to limit workers to a single employer. Importantly, the province also offered all workers full-time pay, regardless of how many shifts were available — a move that stabilized B.C.’s workforce and, “frankly, set them up for success during their first wave,” said Dr. Samir Sinha, director of geriatrics at Toronto’s Mount Sinai Hospital.