Protecting Innovation

Advancing a culture of quality

Across Ontario, long-term care homes are using innovative models to meet the growing and changing needs of residents and to support aging well.

Emotion-focused dementia care, Community Access to Long-Term Care, seniors hubs, and culturally and religiously specific homes are improving quality of life, supporting families, and easing pressure on hospitals.

These models help people live well and keep seniors connected to their communities. They reflect what residents and families value most in care.

Innovations in Long-Term Care

Modern oversight must enable improvement, not limit it

To sustain this work, Ontario needs a culture of quality in long-term care, one driven by education, learning and improvement not punitive measures that disincentivize innovation.

Modern compliance should support learning, psychological safety, and continuous improvement, while still maintaining accountability and transparency. Without this foundation, innovation becomes harder to sustain and scale.

Scaling innovation requires:

• Technology-enabled tools
• Modern staffing models
• Regulatory frameworks that support just-culture principles

Homes and inspectors need a shared, evidence-based foundation that focuses on resident outcomes, uses data effectively, and includes the voices of residents, families, and care partners.

Protecting innovation protects the future of care

Protecting innovation and strengthening a culture of quality improvement will help long-term care keep pace with Ontario’s changing population.

To that end, Ontario should advance an inspection approach that shifts away from fault-finding toward quality improvement and excellence in care — recognizing effective practice, supporting continuous learning, and fostering a culture in which residents come first.