As part of its plan to protect Ontario and strengthen public services through the upcoming Fall Economic Statement, the Ontario government is investing $1.1 billion over three years to extend home care services and the Hospital to Home (H2H) program to thousands more patients every year, according to a news release from the Ontario Ministry of Finance.
By expanding access to convenient care at home for patients who no longer need to stay in the hospital, these investments will ease pressures on the health-care system and free up beds for those who need them most.
“As part of our plan to protect Ontario, our government is making responsible, forward-looking investments that strengthen Ontario’s health-care system and our economy,” said Peter Bethlenfalvy, minister of finance. “By funding critical home care services and Hospital to Home programs, we are building a more self-reliant and resilient province and ensuring patients and families get the right care in the right place, at home.”
As Ontario’s population ages and to ensure the health-care system can continue to support more patients with increasingly complex needs, today’s 8% increase in funding includes $982 million over three years to strengthen critical home care services. The funding will connect more patients with services from nurses, physiotherapists and social workers, so they can avoid lengthy hospital stays and live in the comfort of their own home independently.
“Our government has heard loud and clear that families across Ontario want faster and more flexible access to care that supports their recovery and independence,” said Sylvia Jones, deputy premier and minister of health. “Through our investment to strengthen and expand home care services, we are enabling more people to live, heal and thrive in their own homes, surrounded by the people that matter most.”
Ontario is also investing more than $170 million over three years to enhance and expand the Hospital to Home program to reduce pressures on hospitals and long-term care homes and help more patients safely transition back home sooner, following a hospital stay. Funding will also support the development of 18 new Hospital to Home sites and expansion of 23 existing sites, allowing even more people to receive convenient care in the comfort of their own home and freeing up vital hospital capacity across the province.
“As Ontario’s population ages, seniors are increasingly relying on programs and services to keep them healthy and independent,” said Raymond Cho, minister for seniors and accessibility. “Today’s historic investment will help seniors across our province access the services they need to stay connected to their family, friends and communities.”
Today’s announcement builds on the government’s 2024 investment of an additional $2 billion over three years, which has already improved access to home care by:
- Increasing the number of patients accessing home care by 18 per cent in the past two years, to now serve more than 650,000 patients across the province
- Reducing the wait list for personal support services from 7,371 down to 426 – a 94 per cent decrease from 2022-23 to 2024-25
- Lowering unplanned hospital readmission rates for Hospital to Home patients by nearly a quarter and admissions to LTC to just 1 per cent.
More information about the government’s plan to protect Ontario, grow our economy and make Ontario the most competitive jurisdiction of the G7 to invest will be included in the 2025 Ontario Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review, to be released on Nov. 6, 2025.
Quick Facts
- The Hospital to Home program supported approximately 8,100 patients across 47 sites in the province in 2024-25.
- Nearly 150,000 home care patients have high needs, an increase of approximately 34 per cent from 2014-15 to 2023-24.
- Nearly 75 per cent of people waiting for long-term care beds are receiving home care support, helping them remain at home longer while reducing unnecessary hospital stays.
- Home and community care services supports people of all ages who require care in their home, at school or in the community.
“Ontario’s home care system delivers vital health services that help people stay healthy and independent in their own homes. By delivering care in the home, the sector provides the fastest, most cost-effective relief for the broader health system — easing pressure on hospitals, shortening wait times for long-term care, and improving outcomes across the board. Today’s investment will allow more Ontarians to receive more care at home, and as the province’s population ages, continued government support for home care is essential to ensure every Ontarian can access high-quality, patient-centered care in the community,” said Cameron MacKay, CEO, Home Care Ontario.
“The Ontario Community Support Association welcomes this significant investment in home care. Previous funding commitments have helped stabilize the sector, supporting a measurable reduction in staff turnover and fewer missed care visits,” said Lori Holloway, CEO of the Ontario Community Support Association. “These improvements mean more Ontarians are receiving the care they need, when and where they need it. We encourage the government to continue to invest in programs like Hospital to Home and organizations that bring together home care, community support, and independent living services, which are essential to building a system that keeps people healthy, connected, and cared for at home.”
