Statement from Official Opposition Health Critic Gord McNeilly on Government’s Lack of Plan for Long-Term Care

There is no question PEI needs more long-term care beds.

Once again, this PC government is turning to private operators instead of making the investments needed to strengthen our public long-term care system.

The pattern is becoming clear: 140 privately operated long-term care beds already awarded in Cornwall and Summerside, and now up to 48 more private beds proposed for Kings County.

Islanders need real long-term care capacity, not vague announcements about projects that may still be years away while the balance continues to shift toward private, for-profit care. 

To be clear, today’s announcement is about a request for proposals that has already been open for weeks, will not close until October, and is unlikely to result in any new beds until 2029 at the earliest. There is no plan for when these beds will actually be available.

Government has a responsibility to ensure Islanders can access high-quality long-term care through a strong public system. It is long past time they showed the same urgency in building that public capacity as they do in contracting it out.