Ontario faces calls to dedicate surplus land for long-term care homes to non-profits [Video]

The Ford government is facing calls to ensure surplus public land earmarked for long-term care homes is dedicated to non-profits as it works to boost the number of beds in the province.

The long-term care minister has admitted Ontario is dealing with “capacity pressures” at existing long-term care homes and, as part of its plan to build more beds, the province is relying on public land.

“We have identified certain lands in our surplus bundle which we are working through right now — some projects have already been announced,” Long-Term Care Minister Natalia Kusendova-Bashta confirmed in an interview with Global News.

“Certainly, we’re working with Infrastructure Ontario and the Ministry of Infrastructure to identify other lands that potentially could be used for social benefits like building long-term care.”

One of the areas — a parcel of land the government has been assembling for years in Oakville — was sold to Schlegel Village to build a new long-term …