Ontario Extending Temporary Wage Enhancement for Personal Support Workers

Protecting our Progress by Supporting Frontline Health Care Workers in Fight Against COVID-19

The Ontario government is investing an additional $373 million to extend the temporary wage enhancement for personal support workers and direct support workers. This increase will continue until March 31, 2022 and will help attract and retain workers in these critical sectors to protect Ontario’s progress while continuing to take a cautious and careful approach to reopening.

The government is extending the wage enhancement for over 158,000 personal support workers and direct support workers who deliver publicly funded personal support services or direct support services in home and community care, long-term care, public hospitals, and social services. This temporary wage enhancement includes:

• $3 per hour for approximately 38,000 eligible workers in home and community care;
• $3 per hour for approximately 50,000 eligible workers in long-term care;
• $2 per hour for approximately 10,000 eligible workers in public hospitals; and
• $3 per hour for approximately 60,000 eligible workers in children, community and social services providing personal direct support services to those who need assistance with the activities of daily living.

Since October 1, 2020, Ontario has invested over $1.3 billion to temporarily enhance wages for personal support workers and direct support workers to help stabilize, attract and retain the workforce needed to provide a high level of care during the COVID-19 pandemic. This latest temporary wage increase builds on the government’s previous wage enhancement extension on August 23, 2021, which was set to expire on October 31, 2021. The government continues to explore a permanent solution to address a range of longstanding recruitment and retention issues among personal support workers and direct support workers.