NDP Lobbies Province To Rescue Reserve Care Home

NDP Lobbies Province To Rescue Reserve Care Home

Wednesday, August 11, 2010 at 13:28

The NDP is questioning why the province won’t step in and prevent the Muskeg Lake Care Home from closing its doors.

The facility closed last week as the band was running a deficit to operate it and couldn’t continue to subsidize.

Half of the 30 beds were paid for by the Prince Albert Parkland Heath Region, which is where those residents have been relocated.

Health critic Judy Junor says the government should pay for all 30 beds when it would only cost about $1.5 million to operate the facility annually.

However, the province’s director of continuing care and rehab, Linda Restau, says personal care homes are not funded by the province.

She says they are monitored and regulated, but are privately-owned and operated.

The NDP has noted the government provided a $27-million loan guarantee to Amicus Health Care, Restau says the two situation can’t be compared because they are different facilities.