TORONTO, Oct. 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On Thursday, October 17 at 9:15 a.m., the Ontario Health Coalition will hold a media availability on the court challenge to the Ford government’s decision to grant an 88-bed expansion and new 30-year license to Orchard Villa, a for-profit long-term care home owned by Southbridge with reprehensible records. The daughter of a deceased resident and the Coalition are seeking a judicial review of the Ford government’s decision. A panel of judges at the Ontario Divisional court will hear the court challenge on Thursday. The Coalition and the families are asking the court to quash the license.
There will be a media availability on Thursday morning in advance of the hearing as follows:
| What: | The Coalition and the families are asking the court to require the Ford government live up to their own long-term care legislation. Under the Fixing Long-Term Care Act (2021), the government cannot issue licenses to long-term care home owners when their past conduct offers reasonable grounds to believe that the home will be operated in a manner that is prejudicial to the health, safety and welfare of its residents. |
| When: | Thursday, October 17, 2024 at 9:15 a.m. EDT |
| Where: | Media availability outside the Ontario Divisional Court at Osgoode Hall. On the east side of Osgoode between the black iron fence and the entrance to the Nathan Phillips Square parking, just east of York St. |
| Who: | Natalie Mehra, Executive Director, Ontario Health Coalition Families of Orchard Villa residents, including: |
| Cathy Parkes whose father died at Orchard Villa during the pandemic Maureen O’Reilly whose mother lived at Orchard Villa through the pandemic and after Other families of residents | |
The hearing will take place in-person in courtroom 3 at Osgoode Hall starting at 10 a.m. EDT on Thursday, October 17. We are waiting for information about observing by Zoom from the court.
Background information is available in yesterday’s media advisory here.
The documents and evidence filed with the court are available here.
For more information: Natalie Mehra, executive director, Ontario Health Coalition, cell 416-230-6402. Salah Shadir, administration & operations manager, Ontario Health Coalition, cell 647-648-5706.
