Dear CALTC Members,

Over the past several weeks, our focus has been on planning and positioning CALTC for the fiscal year ahead. This work includes the development of a completed draft 2026–27 budget, collaboration with Santis on draft updates to CALTC’s government relations (GR) plan, and planning for a spring lobby day and the fall national CALTC meeting. Additional details on these initiatives will be shared at the March quarterly meeting. As well, in the near future, members will also have an opportunity to provide feedback on the draft GR plan.

Progress has also continued on CALTC’s National Survey initiative. Separate surveys are being developed for provincial long-term care associations and long-term care home operators. Member consultation on the draft surveys will be opened early next week,with finalized surveys to be presented at the March quarterly meeting. At that time, we will also outline the survey distribution, collection, and dissemination plan.

On the federal front, recent political activity has focused on the Conservative Party convention and leadership review. Pierre Poilievre was confirmed as party leader, and discussions at the convention continued to emphasize affordability as a key policy priority. In parallel, the Federal Minister for Artificial Intelligence announced that Canada’s updated National AI Strategy is expected this quarter. CALTC participated in consultations related to this strategy and will continue to monitor developments, particularly as they relate to healthcare and long-term care. Also this week, the Federal Minister of Health announced Bill S-5- Connected Care for Canadians Act, which is a re-introduction of Bill C-72 from 2024 with updates. Bill S-5 introduces a federal backstop to standards on interoperability of health data, with a focus on health technology venders rather than clinicians. The announcement can be found here. We will review this for potential considerations for LTC and monitor its progress through parliament, as well as consultation opportunities.

Finally, the Treasurer position is now vacant. While options are being considered, the CALTC Board Chair will provide interim coverage for this role, supported by the Executive Committee and Board through their regular oversight processes.

Thank you for your continued engagement and support.

Sincerely,
Jodi

Dear CALTC Members,

The first Parliamentary session of 2026 will resume on Monday. CALTC will be closely monitoring parliamentary discussions and committee activity relevant to healthcare and long-term care specifically.

Last week, I participated in an interview with The Hill Times to discuss the Health Infrastructure Fund, the Build Canada Homes initiative, and the long-term care sector’s infrastructure development needs. The resulting article is available here and we hope that it will open additional discussions around the needs of LTC homes. As part of our ongoing advocacy related to infrastructure, CALTC has again reached out to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). While there is no defined timeline at this stage, CMHC has identified long-term care within its divisional planning for future assessment. We will continue to seek clarity on opportunities for CALTC to contribute to this work.

Last week I also met with MP David Myles to discuss CALTC’s priorities and the current challenges facing the long-term care sector, including CALTC’s key policy asks. MP Myles expressed interest in delivering a statement in Parliament in recognition of National Long Term Care Day this year, and we will follow up with him on next steps.

In addition, I met with the Senior Policy Advisor to the Minister of Jobs and Families, who is overseeing the development of the National Caregiving Strategy. This work was originally envisioned under the Sectoral Table on the Care Economy, but the sectoral table was never initiated. However, the current government is committed to the development of the strategy internally. While still in the early stages of development, the discussion was productive and highlighted that the strategy will have a strong focus on targeted, outcome-driven supports. CALTC’s position paper on paid caregivers was acknowledged and noted as being helpful. Finally, it was recognized that there will be further opportunities for engagement as the strategy develops.

Development of the CALTC National Survey continues to progress, and I look forward to sharing a draft for member feedback in the near future. Late last week, I circulated a call for expressions of interest for the Treasurer role from members who meet the qualifications outlined in the CALTC by-laws. At this time, no expressions of interest have been received. I will be following up with the CALTC Board Chair and Executive members to determine next steps, and will provide further communication to members regarding options to fill this executive board position.

Thank you, as always, for your continued engagement and support.

Sincerely,
Jodi

Dear CALTC Members,

I would like to begin by wishing you a Happy New Year and by expressing my appreciation for your continued engagement as we look ahead to our collective work in 2026.

A key initiative for the coming year is the CALTC National Survey on the State of Long-Term Care in Canada. Development of the survey is currently underway by the contracted researcher, and I anticipate sharing a draft for member feedback in the near future. In addition, I am working with Santis on plans for spring lobby meetings in Ottawa, which would replace the fall lobby day that has been held in recent years. This shift is in response to changes in the federal government’s budget cycle. Initial planning is also underway for a national fall meeting, which will focus on a review of CALTC’s strategic plan and engagement with our sponsors.

As part of this planning, a lobby day in early April is being considered in an effort to avoid dates of member events. To assess feasibility and scope, I am seeking an indication of interest from members who may wish to participate in the spring lobby meetings with the understanding that final confirmation will be contingent on the final date. Given the importance of the national fall meeting for sponsor engagement and strategic planning, members are encouraged to prioritize attendance at the fall meeting if travel decisions must be made between the two.

To support ongoing discussions with Santis regarding contract terms, it is important to understand the anticipated level of participation in the spring lobby meetings. Members who expect to attend the early April lobby day are asked to confirm their interest by email no later than January 16.

Finally, I would like to share several new and updated member resources. The updated member directory is available here; please advise if any corrections are required. In addition, the Board has approved a new governance policy and a position paper on Information Technology and Artificial Intelligence at the December meeting. The final formatted versions of these documents can be found here.

Thank you for your continued leadership and engagement in advancing long-term care across Canada.

Sincerely,
Jodi