Ontario Caregiver Support Benefit - $400/month for caregivers proposed by MPP Wayne Gates

Could you use an extra $400/month as a caregiver?

Wayne Gates, MPP for Niagara Falls, and the official Opposition critic for long-term care, introduced legislation for an Ontario Caregiver Support Benefit. The Caregiver Support Benefit would provide a $400/month caregiver allowance to help offset some of the financial challenges of caregiving for a loved one. Caregivers are often spending 10-20 hours a week or more providing care, and 77% of caregivers are having to dip into their savings. According to Gates the Caregiver Support Benefit can save Ontario $480-million on long-term care.

Ontario Caregiver Support Benefit supporters

The Caregiver Support Benefit is supported by a number of organizations including the Ontario Caregivers Coalition, the Young Caregivers Association, the Alzheimers Society, the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence, the Canadian Cancer Society, MS Canada, and Community Living Ontario. It's also supported by Liberal MPP John Fraser & Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner.

If you support the motion for an Ontario Caregiver Support Benefit, Wayne Gates is asking you to write a letter of support to your MPP, which can be done HERE.

Conservative Response

Conservative MPP Nolan Quinn provided a rebuttal to the Caregiver Support Benefit. Although Quinn agreed the status quo for home care is not working, Quinn promoted investments in the current budget, including $2-billion over the next 3 years for Home and Community Care.

What do you think?

So what do you think? Is the Ontario Caregiver Support Benefit a good step to supporting caregivers, or would you rather see those resources go towards home and community care?