Government reaches agreement on rates for home support services provided by agencies

Gerald Smith, acting Minister of Health and Community Services, is pleased to announce that an agreement has been reached between government and the home support agencies on the agency rate for home support care.

"Based on the additional information provided by the agencies, we have determined that additional funding is required to ensure agencies pass on to their home support workers the wage increase intended by government," said Minister Smith.

In Budget 2001, government announced a 20 per cent wage increase in two installments to both self-managed home support workers and those who are employed with an agency. Government's commitment is to ensure by December 1, 2001, home support workers will be making an hourly wage of $7.01.

"This agreement with the home support agencies will ensure their workers will receive the wage increase," said Minister Smith. "The first installment was due on June 1, 2001, and the workers will receive that retroactively. The second wage increase will be in effect December 1, 2001."

Government's investment of new funding into the Home Support Program to provide the wage increase to both self-managed workers and those who work through an agency will total $6.2 million annually. The province will now spend $49.5 million on an annual basis for home support services to approximately 2,700 seniors and people with developmental and physical disabilities.

"Home support workers provide a valuable service to their clients and families," said Minister Smith. "We believe our commitment to the home support workers in this province will help address their concern on the level of compensation and work towards stabilizing the workforce."

Media contact: Carmel Turpin, Communications, (709) 729-1377.

2001 07 16                                                   2:45 p.m.