Families fight licence renewal for Orchard Villa LTC home
Canada.com speaks to Steven Shrybman about the licence renewal for Orchard Villa long term care home
In 2020, over seventy residents of Orchard Villa long term nursing home died of COVID-19. The local hospital and the military took over the running of the home. A subsequent report detailed horrific conditions. Doug Ford said that the report was “gut wrenching” and that reading it was “the hardest thing I have done as premier.”
And yet, the Ford government is now considering whether to give Orchard Villa a new 30-year licence and rights to expand. The families of those who dies and the Ontario Health Coalition are opposing the licence renewal. Canada.com spoke to Steven Shrybman:
Steven Shrybman of Goldblatt Partners LLP last week made his view clear that renewing the licence for Orchard Villa is a non-starter.
Citing the rules laid out in the Long Term Care Home Act (LTCH) act, Shrybman stated it is “impossible to reconcile the history of past conduct (at Orchard Villa) with the standards clearly delineated in the act.”
He also argued that the case for denying the licence “is clear to overwhelming.”
Shrybman added that he is sure the lawyers working for the ministry will come to the same conclusion.
“The law is what will determine what advice they’re getting internally. And the law is very clear.”