Red Cross sending 900 workers to care homes as military withdraws
OTTAWA — The Canadian Red Cross will send 900 people to work in Quebec’s long-term care homes until September, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Friday.
The announcement came as the military prepares to pull out of the homes, despite repeated requests from Premier Francois Legault to keep at least 1,000 Forces members there until the fall.
Trudeau said 150 Red Cross personnel would arrive before July 6, with the balance in place by July 29.
The Red Cross workers headed for Quebec will remain at the homes until Sept. 15, by which time thousands of workers hired by the province are expected to be trained and ready to take over the jobs.
Trudeau said the replacement of Armed Forces personnel with civilians was part of a “transition plan” created in conjunction with the province that would allow the soldiers to return to their regular duties.
The workers will be paid from the $100 million in federal funding the government announced for the Red Cross in May to help it meet the demand created by COVID-19.
Conrad Sauve, the president and CEO of the Canadian Red Cross, said the first 150 workers have already been recruited and their training will begin next week.
Sauve said he is confident the group will find 900 people to help in Quebec’s care homes by the end of July, but he didn’t offer any guarantees.
“There is nothing that makes us believe we won’t reach those figures as we move ahead,” he said.
Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said there is “strong and growing evidence” that the crisis in Quebec’s long-term care homes is under control. But he said there is still work to do.