Ontario Expands Access to Palliative Care
New hospice beds for Dorothy Ley Hospice bring end-of-life care closer to home
NEWS | JANUARY 28
ETOBICOKE — The Ontario government is enhancing access to compassionate, community-based end-of-life care by adding new hospice beds under the Dorothy Ley Hospice banner. This initiative is part of a broader provincial effort to expand palliative care services, with 84 new adult hospice beds being added across Ontario. Once operational, these additions will increase the total number of publicly funded hospice beds in the province to 768.
“I am honoured to represent a community that supports extraordinary organizations like the Dorothy Ley Hospice,” said Christine Hogarth, MPP for Etobicoke-Lakeshore. “Their tireless dedication ensures individuals, and their families experience comfort, dignity, and support during life’s most challenging moments. Expanding access to palliative care close to home strengthens our community and builds a brighter, more compassionate future for all.”
“We are extremely grateful to MPP Hogarth for her continued advocacy and support, which has been instrumental in helping the Dorothy Ley Hospice secure additional hospice beds for our community. There is an urgent need to improve palliative care for underserved communities, and these new beds will play a vital role in addressing that demand,” said Dipti Purbhoo, Executive Director of Dorothy Ley Hospice.
The Ontario government will allocate an additional $16 million annually to fund the operation of these new beds once they are open.
“Our government is ensuring people, and their families have access to the comprehensive care they need in their community, close to their loved ones, at every stage of life,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “By investing in the expansion of end-of-life care in communities across the province, we are taking another step to connect Ontarians to compassionate and specialized care closer to home.”
Recipients of New Hospice Beds:
Through the Ontario government’s Your Health plan, the province is making it easier and faster for people of all ages to connect to the care they need, where and when they need it. This includes investing $147 million over three years to expand access to palliative care services.
QUICK FACTS
- Palliative care, which includes end-of-life care, can begin as early as the diagnosis of a serious illness and focuses on improving the quality of each individual’s life. This integrated form of care ensures people can access the support they need when facing illness, death, grief, and/or bereavement.
- The Ontario Palliative Care Network (OPCN), led by Ontario Health, is a partnership of health service providers (including hospices, long-term care homes, hospitals and others), community and social support service organizations, health system planners, Ontario Health Teams, and patient and family/care partner advisors, formed to develop a coordinated, standardized approach to palliative care.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
MEDIA CONTACTS
Saurabh Kapoor
Office of Christine Hogarth, MPP Etobicoke-Lakeshore
saurabh.kapoor@pc.ola.org
416-259-2249