Thanks, Mr. Chairman.
Thanks to all the witnesses for appearing today.
I've had the opportunity to meet with non-profit care providers in Hamilton. I've also had the opportunity to read some recent information that was provided at my former place of work at the City of Hamilton as it relates to the progress we're making parochially in the city of Hamilton. I can say the legislation to date has been a game-changer for us in my neck of the woods. We're seeing 200 to 300 spaces a year that will be created over the next number of years. We've seen families receive reductions in their fees in the thousands and thousands of dollars.
But I do have some concerns I want to raise today. They're really about the implementation and the service delivery and about how the provinces are helping or not helping as relates to many of the issues that have been raised by witnesses.
Maybe I'll turn to Ms. Friendly.
First and foremost, as relates to the non-profit versus profit scenario that's been talked about and highlighted today, and certainly has in our past meetings with other witnesses, I heard something today that I had to scratch my head about, which was just that if somebody has a licence, a government licence, then it must be true that they're providing the same level of service across the board, whether they're a for-profit or a not-for-profit. I've been an elected official for a long time. I would point to the provision of long-term care services in the province of Ontario as an example of how just because you have a licence, that doesn't mean you're doing it properly and it doesn't mean there's the same level of service and outcomes.
Can I ask your opinion as it relates to some of the comments that were made previously about the provision of services in the not-for-profits and the outcomes of those versus those in the private sector?