In an article today in the Ottawa Citizen, the Minister Responsible for Seniors, the Hon. Gerry Phillips stated that retirement home legislation will be introduced this spring. Retirement homes will be overseen by a third-party regulator and will set standards for infection control, safety, staff training and resident services. The Minister speculated that the legislation will come into effect in 2011.

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ORCA responded in this article: "This is a long time coming," says Gord White, chief executive of the Ontario Retirement Communities Association. "There really are no rules. It is so alarming that people in our association decided in the early '90s to come up with their own regulations."

ORCA is by no means surprised by this announcement as we have been in regular contact with the Province on this issue. I along with some other ORCA members was invited to see the draft policy legislation and offer comments and suggestions. We signed confidentiality agreements and are therefore unable to comment on what we have read.

It is significant that the Minister mentioned a third-party regulator as this was a primary recommendation arising out of the province-wide retirement home consultation in 2007 in which ORCA members, along with seniors, stakeholders, and municipalities, participated. As well, standards for infection control; staff training and resident services contained in the new legislation not only makes sense but also mirror the consultation recommendations.

ORCA's Board of Directors is quite familiar with the introduction of the legislation and has drafted a preliminary communications strategy that will be used once the legislation is introduced. ORCA will keep our membership informed as this issue develops. I note that ORCA held a lengthy session at the Summer Conference in September 2009 to inform the membership of the potential for legislation and its possible implications.

I expect that the new legislation will be a major topic at the ORCA/OLTCA Convention April 25-27 and will be discussed at ORCA's Annual Meeting which takes place on Sunday, April 25, starting at 1 pm at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. We encourage ORCA members to make every effort to attend the AGM and Convention this year.

Gord White, CEO ORCA