Toronto, ON (Oct 16, 2026) – WoodGreen Community Services welcomes the one-year extension of Home and Community Care and Community Mental Health bilateral agreements, announced by Federal Health Minister Marjorie Michel.
This $1.2 billion funding renewal will help strengthen and sustain community care services across the sector, provide relief to caregivers, and support seniors in remaining safely in their homes.
Expansion should support workforce stability and the increased demand of community care services. This funding should be allocated to community support services, including personal support, Meals on Wheels, assisted living, and transportation. The agreements support the expansion of Enhanced Assisted Living models, such as our Cluster Care Model, which provide 24/7 monitored support from personal support workers. These models offer another option in housing continuum for older adults who can still live independently in community-based residences by receiving 24/7 access to daily living supports, including housekeeping, bathing, and cooking, with a bridge option to long-term care.
Enhanced Assisted Living models are cost-effective and reduce reliance on hospital and long-term care. However, these models have limited ability to expand due to siloed, patchwork, and/or non-existent funding structures. The new agreements should support existing community supports services and the expansion of Enhanced Assisted Living models to improve the continuum of care for our rapidly growing senior population.
WoodGreen remains committed to working collaboratively with all levels of government to advance community-based solutions and supports this funding extension. However, a longer-term agreement beyond 2028 is still required to ensure community organizations can continue to respond to the growing demand of services.
ABOUT WOODGREEN COMMUNITY SERVICES (woodgreen.org): WoodGreen is one of the largest social service agencies in Toronto, serving 40,000 people each year. We offer over 75 programs and services tackling the social determinants that affect the health and well-being of individuals in our community.
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Media Contact: For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact: Chris Centeno, Manager Media Relations; [email protected].