Ontario is extending a temporary wage boost for personal support workers (PSWs) to higher per-hour earnings until October 31.
The provincial government introduced the wage increase on October 1, 2020, to stabilize staffing levels in the sector during the pandemic.
This is the second time the initial wage boost has been extended.
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“Since the outset of the pandemic, personal support workers and direct support workers have been critical in supporting some of our most vulnerable patients,” Christine Elliott, Minister of Health, said in a news release. “As we head into the fall, ensuring Ontario’s personal support workers are supported will ensure patients continue to receive the high-quality care they need.”
PSWs, sometimes called care aides in other provinces, assist patients with their daily activities and needs. Their patients are often elderly or living with disabilities.
More than 158,000 workers are eligible for the extended wage increase:
- $3 per hour for 38,000 workers in-home and community care
- $3 per hour for 50,000 workers in long-term care
- $2 per hour for 10,000 workers in hospitals
- $3 per hour for 60,000 workers who support daily activities for children and social services clients
The latest extension comes to a total of $169 million.
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