We are all heartbroken by the devastating loss of life in long-term care facilities during the pandemic.
Many of us were shocked to learn that our pension plan is the sole owner of Revera Inc – a company that runs long-term care facilities for profit.
These private facilities continue to see much higher rates of COVID-19 infection and death than the public facilities.
We don’t want our pension to make money this way.
Make Revera public.
We are calling on the federal government to facilitate talks between the Public Service Pension (PSP) plan and provincial health ministries to move Revera long-term care facilities from private to public ownership to protect the lives of seniors.
The Revera crisis
As of January 2021, 688 people have died in Revera long-term care and retirement facilities in Canada as a result of COVID-19.
Even before the pandemic, the lower quality of care provided by for-profit long-term care facilities has been well documented showing fewer hours of care as well as higher rates of mortality and hospitalization.
The PSP ownership of Revera is unethical and a risky investment. It does not meet the PSP’s own ethical standards.
Our role
We are committed to putting a stop to outsourcing in public services, from IT services to seniors’ care. We must defend public services for everyone in Canada.
Two-thirds of Canadians want long-term care facilities to be run by the government. Unions, civil society and the Canadian public are demanding action to make long-term care public.
We are demanding that Revera be made public. Low-quality health care for our seniors must not be a source of profit for our pensions.
We are calling on the federal government to facilitate talks between the Public Service Pension plan and provincial health ministries to move Revera long-term care facilities from private to public ownership to protect the lives of seniors.
Now is the time. Seniors are dying and urgent action is required.