Question Period Note: Support for Long Term Care Facilities in Quebec: Canadian Red Cross Deployment

The situation in Quebec’s long-term care facilities has stabilized, but the need for support remains. The Government of Canada continues to offer federal support to the province by funding the Canadian Red Cross’s ongoing efforts.

• Building on the efforts of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) from April 20 to August 15, 2020, the Government of Canada continues to support residential and long-term care facilities in Quebec through the Canadian Red Cross. Funding has been provided to the Red Cross for deployment of relief personnel that complements existing health measures in these facilities.
• As of September 14, the Red Cross has hired close to 1,000 personnel with almost 900 deployed to 28 sites.
• The federal support delivered through the Red Cross was expected to be in place until September 15, to provide time for the province to recruit and train permanent staff, all while ensuring a consistent standard of care for these vulnerable populations.
• On September 14, the Government of Quebec requested to extend the current Red Cross support until October 31, 2020 and to expand the services to remote private care facilities until the end of the year.
• On September 16, the Government of Canada and the Red Cross have agreed to continue the current support until October 31.
Response if pressed
• The CRC remains open to supporting any critical residential and long-term care facilities locations should any remain which could be integrated and financially supported by the Province in the context of its work on a number of related mandates such as training.
• The Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux is also considering the option of having some CRC-deployed personnel offered employment directly by LTCFs.

On April 20, 2020, in response to a Request for Assistance (RFA) from the Province of Quebec, the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) deployed Augmented Civilian Care teams comprised of one senior medical authority, personal care workers, and support troops to residential and long-term care facilities in the province. These teams were primarily sent to facilities located in the hardest-hit regions of Montréal, Laval and Montérégie. On August 15, 2020 the CAF RFA came to a close.

Although there is great improvement in the residential and long-term care facilities in Quebec, as demonstrated by lower case numbers and the return of many critical workers, the Province has indicated that they still need federal support to manage the COVID-19 response.
Working with the Province, the CAF, Health Canada and the Canadian Red Cross (CRC), Public Safety Canada developed a framework to guide the federal transition from CAF support in long-term care facilities to federal support delivered by the CRC through Public Safety Canada’s existing contribution program to support the CRC’s ongoing relief efforts related to COVID-19, floods and wildfires. The CRC recruited a new workforce, which has provided support to the facilities that are in greater need. As of September 14, the CRC hired close to 1,000 personnel. To date, almost 900 employees have been deployed to 28 sites supported by 88 permanent CRC staff who lead the recruiting, training, logistics and oversight of this complex program. CRC resources were expected to be in place until September 15 to provide time for the province to recruit and train permanent staff, all while ensuring a consistent standard of care for these vulnerable populations.

The CRC’s deployment to Quebec residential and long-term care facilities is funded through the up to $100 million fund announced by the Prime Minister on May 16. This funding was committed to support the CRC to meet increased demand due to COVID-19, and to support future floods and wildfire relief efforts.

On September 14, the Quebec Government requested an extension and expansion of CRC support. The request identified two streams, the first of which would see the extension of the existing presence of the CRC in current residential and long-term care facilities until October 31, 2020; additional enquiries were made with regards to expanding the support to additional private care facilities.

On September 15 the Government of Canada agreed to extend federal support for the presence of the CRC in existing facilities until October 31. A measured demobilization will be done over that time period as sites are stabilized in conjunction with the exit criteria previously established.

The CRC remains open to supporting any critical residential and long-term care facilities locations should any remain which could be integrated and financially supported by the Province in the context of its work on a number of related mandates such as training. The Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux is also considering the option of having some CRC-deployed personnel offered employment directly by LTCFs.

The federal government continues to remain open to discussion on further federal support should circumstances materially change.

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