The provincial government released its 2026 budget on March 26, which included a funding boost to $3.4 billion for primary care and $1 billion in additional funding for home care over three years.

On Windsor radio station AM800 (March 26), RNAO CEO Dr. Doris Grinspun applauded these “two very good pieces of news.” This funding will help shift health care away from hospitals and towards care in the community. “People prefer to stay at home,” she said.

A substantive portion of funds needs to go to competitive compensation for nurses in this sector, she added. “On average, nurses who work in home care make 70 per cent of what their counterparts in hospitals earn. I do hope the flexibility is there for home care agencies to use the budget to improve significantly their compensation by 30 per cent at least,” she explained. 

On the issue of saving money by supporting more people in their homes, Grinspun added that investments in long-term care are tremendously important, but “…like hospitals, when it is needed.” More alternatives to help people age at home are vital. 

On the boost to primary care, Grinspun said: “Dr. Jane Philpott is driving the bus in a good direction. We just need to go faster and more furiously to hire more nurse practitioners and more RNs, so more people are receiving timely access to primary care.”

RNAO’s media release noted areas where the government needs to place much more attention, including affordable housing, social assistance rates and the climate crisis.