Here are the facts:
- The BC Liberal government has not only met its commitment to build 5,000 net new care beds -- we have exceeded it.
- As the commitment clearly stated, the BC Liberal government’s commitment was to enhance the full spectrum of care of seniors, which included residential care but also intermediate options such as assisted living and supportive housing.
- This was actually an approach to enhancing seniors’ care that the former NDP recommended in early 2001 in their report ‘Requirements for Continuing Care Renewal Plans’. That report not only validated these alternative levels of care but went on to say that between 20% and 40% of people living in long term care beds in 2001 could be more appropriately cared for in assisted living facilities.
- As a result of applying this policy through its New Era commitment, the results are clear: the BC Liberals have built 5,896 net new units and have upgraded and replaced a further 6,539 units that did not meet the high standards that our seniors deserve. That is 12,435 new units since 2001. In contrast the NDP only built approximately 1,400 net new beds in the entire 10 years they were in power.
- However, the best measure of the BC Liberals success in improving access to seniors beds is wait times. Wait times for access to residential care have dropped from up to one year under the NDP to an average of 15 – 90 days today.
