The County of Simcoe is aware of information being circulated related to ongoing labour relations matters involving long-term care employees in the SEIU Union. While labour relations matters involve differing perspectives, the County remains committed to acting in a respectful manner and to providing accurate information about our long-term care operations, workforce, and resident care.
The County recognizes and values the essential role frontline staff play in supporting residents every day. Our employees are at the heart of the care provided in our homes, and we remain committed to maintaining safe, respectful, and supportive working environments. The well-being of residents remains our highest priority, and it is our hope that this is a commitment shared by our staff and the Union alike.
To provide additional context:
- All four of our homes has consistently met or more often exceeded the provincial requirement on average of four hours of direct care per resident per day, including Sunset Manor where residents have received an average of 4.83 hours of direct care daily throughout 2025 and 2026.
- Between 2021 and 2025, the County increased staffing hours across its four long-term care homes by more than 40 per cent, creating approximately 200 additional positions.
- While staffing pressures continue across Ontario’s long-term care sector, County-operated homes maintain stable staffing coverage. We actively monitor staffing levels, recruitment needs, workload concerns, and workplace health and safety matters, and take action where needed to support residents and staff.
We are proud that many employees choose to build long and rewarding careers with the County. We continue to invest in our workforce through consistently higher compensation, comprehensive benefits, training, education, and professional development opportunities, greater than most other organizations across this sector.
As a matter of practice, the County does not address labour relations matters through public channels. However, we believe it is important to correct misinformation when it arises and provide the public with accurate information about our operations and services.
Our priority remains clear: delivering safe, high-quality care for residents while maintaining supportive working conditions and sustainable staffing practices that serve the long-term needs of our homes and communities.