The Ford Government Just Deleted Thousands of Long-Term Care Reports. Here They Are.
The provincial government has eliminated access to long-term care home inspection reports from before 2023. We have over 10,000 of those reports, and are restoring access to the public.
The New Chill Facing Trans Health Care
As anti-trans rhetoric intensifies at home and abroad, the organizations providing training in trans-inclusive healthcare say they’re seeing less uptake from physicians across Ontario.
These Seniors Homes Were Fined for Their Failures. The Province Let Them Expand Anyway.
New analysis of government data shows that nearly a third of long-term care companies approved to expand or renew their operations by the Ministry of Long-Term Care were also fined for failing to meet provincial care standards.
He Complained About His Mother’s Care. The Home Restricted Him From Seeing Her
Five years after Queen’s Park unanimously voted to end the practice, families say they’re still being kept from their loved ones as punishment for complaining about care—with no clear legal recourse.
Inspection Results for Every Long-Term Care Home in Ontario
Use The Local’s exclusive dashboard to look up fines, violations, and care quality metrics for the province’s more than 600 long-term care homes.
Who is Watching Over Ontario’s Most Vulnerable Seniors?
Exclusive analysis of more than 17,500 long-term care home inspection reports reveals a provincial inspection regime failing to meet its own accountability goals, with seniors who lack family advocates bearing the greatest burden.
How The Local Analyzed 17,500 Long-Term Care Reports to Understand the State of Provincial Inspections
Every year, thousands of inspections capture failures to meet provincial standards in long-term care. No one has ever tried to quantify the results of those inspections—until now.
When Refugees Can’t Afford the Care They Need
New federal cuts to Canada's refugee health program take effect this week. The people who work with asylum seekers say the consequences could be devastating.
Health811 Promises 24/7 Health Advice—If You Can Wait
Data obtained through freedom of information requests show wait times have increased dramatically since Health811 replaced Telehealth Ontario, peaking at a monthly average of more than 11 hours.
When Your Dermatologist Becomes a Salesperson
Getting a mole checked can takes months, but Botox appointments are readily available. Why dermatologists say their practice is the canary in the coal mine for privatized care.
How Ontario’s Corporate Pharmacies Are Burning Out Their Pharmacists
At corporate pharmacies like Shoppers Drug Mart, pharmacists say they face overwhelming pressure from their parent companies to perform medically unnecessary tasks in the interest of profit.
Inside the Booming Industry Selling Lifestyle Drugs Online
From erectile dysfunction medicine to hair loss treatment to weight loss drugs—a thriving online market has emerged to seamlessly deliver drugs straight to your door. But what happens when prescriptions meet profit incentives?
Saving Rhea Seegobin
For the growing number of Canadians who will get cancer in their lifetimes, the financial stress can be profound. But despite her terminal diagnosis, with the support of her community, Rhea is determined to live well.
And How Will You Be Paying for Your Baby Today?
When I first came to the pediatrics unit as an idealistic medical student, I ran into an uncomfortable reality about our universal health-care system.
How Privatized Cataract Surgery Helped Ontario’s Wealthiest—and Left Others Behind
Why a routine surgery offers a window into the possible future of care in this province.
A Clearer Look at the Cost of Care
Dispatches from the edge of the health care system, where money meets medicine and patients are customers.
Under Ford, Hallway Health Care Has Devolved into ‘Chair Care’
Doug Ford became premier on a promise to end hallway health care. Seven years later, ERs are more crowded than ever and the system has never been in greater disarray.
When a Hospital Visit Costs $11,000
Amid changes that make accessing health care for uninsured residents more difficult than ever, midwives have led the charge for universal care.
Ontario Needs Nurses—Many Are Already Here, and Waiting to Practice
In the midst of a labour shortage, nurses who come as caregivers and students remain shut out of their profession, with many working gig economy jobs and contemplating leaving.
Life Expectancy Varies by Almost 12 Years Across Toronto Neighbourhoods
A joint project by The Local and St. Michael’s Hospital, the first-ever neighbourhood-level analysis of life expectancy in Toronto, reveals stark disparities across the city.