Ontario’s health system is at a crossroads. Nearly one in five Ontarians is over age 65, more than 2.5 million people are without access to primary care, and hospitals face persistent Alternate Level of Care (ALC) pressures. Meanwhile, long-term care (LTC) waitlists exceed 48,000 people and are projected to grow. The most cost-effective and compassionate solution is to invest in a comprehensive suite of services including community support services, home care and independent living services, which allows people to remain in their homes and communities while reducing system pressures. 

This is why CHATS is working together with the Ontario Community Support Association, and other organizations to put a spotlight on this very important work that still needs to be accomplished.

Without renewed and sustained investment in community support services, independent living and home care, service cuts will erode progress and push more people into hospitals and LTC, at far higher cost to the system. The 2026 Ontario Budget must prioritize home and community care as the cornerstone of health system sustainability.

By protecting and expanding wrap-around services, closing wage gaps, and scaling proven integrated care models, Ontario can relieve pressure on hospitals, improve equity and access, and ensure that Ontarians can age with dignity, independence, and choice—at home, where they want to be.

Learn more here: Invest In Home & Community Support Services