Thank you very much, Chair.
It's nice to see the regulars back at committee again. I feel like it hasn't been very long since I've seen all of you. Welcome back.
I know—and I think we all know—that long-term care facilities have been the epicentre for COVID outbreaks and, unfortunately, for fatalities as well. We do know that residents have faced the harshest restrictions and that health care workers who care for them are definitely experiencing burnout. This is a long time to be asking them to work so diligently.
I think we all know that there was a sector-wide staffing crisis that pre-existed this pandemic, but the pandemic has exacerbated that and has made us notice how urgent that staffing crisis is. I know that in the supplementary estimates there is $12.5 million in funds allocated for “personal support worker training and measures to address labour shortages in long-term [care] and home care”. I'm just wondering if this specific line item is part of the PSW announcement that was in the fall economic statement.