B.C. Cuts Overtime Funding for Long-Term Care, Crisis Looms

UPDATE: The British Columbia government has just announced a controversial decision to stop funding overtime and agency staffing for long-term care facilities, effective October 31, 2025. This move is raising alarms among care providers and advocates who warn it could jeopardize the quality of care for seniors across the province.

Mary Polak, CEO of the BC Care Providers Association (BCCPA), expressed deep concern about the implications of this funding cut. “We rely on overtime and agency staffing to fill the gap,” she stated, emphasizing that the absence of provincial funding will make it increasingly difficult for facilities to meet health authority standards.

The decision particularly impacts private-pay home health operators and commercial providers represented by the BCCPA, while public institutions remain exempt from these cuts. According to the B.C. Ministry of Health, the funding was part of temporary COVID-19 relief, with a total of $429 million allocated to long-term care and assisted living facilities since 2020.

In an official statement, the Ministry noted, “We are now five years out from that pandemic, and as a result, the temporary COVID-19-related overtime and agency staffing funding will be winding down.” However, Polak argues that the health care sector has not fully recovered from the pandemic’s impact. “Attracting people to these necessary positions has become very difficult,” she added, highlighting ongoing staffing challenges.

The repercussions of these funding cuts could be severe. Polak warned that they may lead to reduced capacity for seniors in long-term care, complicating safe discharges from hospitals and ultimately affecting care quality. “This is going to hit our members hard, and that means it’s going to hit seniors’ care hard in the aftermath,” she stated.

Moreover, the BCCPA is raising concerns about potential job losses in care communities, warning that cuts will further strain an already overburdened system. “It just seems the wrong way entirely to try and save money,” Polak lamented.

In a bid to mitigate the fallout, the BCCPA is calling for a halt on public construction projects for long-term care, asserting that their members can help the government build necessary facilities at a lower cost.

As this situation develops, stakeholders are urging the provincial government to reconsider its decision and explore alternative solutions to support long-term care. The BCCPA continues to advocate for the needs of seniors, pushing for policies that prioritize their well-being amid these alarming changes.

This urgent update highlights the critical state of long-term care in British Columbia. With funding cuts looming, the future of seniors’ care hangs in the balance, prompting immediate discussions about how to best address this escalating crisis.