As Canada’s population ages, the demand for long-term care is surging. In 2023, approximately 7.6 million Canadians were aged 65 and older, representing nearly one-fifth of the total population. By 2031, an estimated 606,000 Canadians will require long-term care—an increase of nearly 60% compared to 2019 levels.
But are Canadian long-term care organizations equipped to meet this rising demand while maintaining high-quality care? The numbers suggest otherwise.
A workforce under pressure
Staffing shortages are already straining the sector. In 2022, the number of direct care nurses in long-term care dropped by approximately 2,500—a 5.1% decline from the previous year. At the same time, LTC homes across Canada faced more than 38,000 open positions, more than double the number recorded just three years earlier.
On top of that, nearly one in three employees in nursing (30.3%) reported working overtime, almost double the proportion observed fifteen years earlier (15.7%). Even more concerning, approximately 1 in 10 worked overtime without pay—a reality that can potentially increase job dissatisfaction and push more nurses to leave the profession.
These figures highlight an urgent reality: long-term care organizations must adopt strategic workforce solutions today to ensure they can continue to meet patient needs in the future.
How Canadian long-term care facilities are responding
Despite these challenges, some long-term care providers are taking proactive steps to secure their future.
Fred Douglas Society, a leading long-term care provider in Manitoba supporting over 600 seniors across 590 living spaces, faced firsthand the difficulties of managing complex healthcare regulations with outdated systems. Realizing that their existing infrastructure could no longer support their evolving needs, they made a critical decision—to invest in new technology that would future-proof their operations.
“Our shift to an integrated workforce management system will bring a transformative level of efficiency to our HR, payroll, and scheduling operations” said Greg Reid, CEO of Fred Douglas Society.
A similar story is unfolding at Tri-County Mennonite Homes (TCMH), a long-term care facility with over 500 employees and a history spanning more than 50 years. With deep roots in the Nithview and Greenwood Court communities, TCMH recognized that its current systems were no longer sufficient to support its expanding facilities and services. To address this, the organization is transitioning to a cloud-based Canadian solution that integrates scheduling, payroll, and HR management—ensuring a more sustainable and scalable future.
“With a rapidly expanding organization, we needed a system that could keep pace with our growth while simplifying complex workforce management tasks” said Mark Coburn, BFP FCA, Executive Director, Corporate Services, at Tri-County Mennonite Homes.
Upgrading workforce management
What do these organizations have in common? They recognized that their workforce management technology wasn’t keeping pace with their growing needs, and they took action. Their key priorities included:
- A unified platform integrating scheduling, payroll, and HR management to streamline operations.
- Automated compliance tools ensuring shift assignments and pay align with collective agreement rules, improving staff well-being and regulatory adherence.
- Real-time workforce analytics for overtime, attendance, and shift replacements, enabling better planning and resource allocation.
- Automated scheduling and auto-call features to fill shifts quickly without manual intervention—reducing administrative burden and ensuring quality resident care.
Is it time for your long-term care organization to upgrade?
If your long-term care organization is facing similar challenges, it may be time to reassess your workforce management strategy. To gain deeper insights into how long-term care facilities are navigating these changes, join the webinar on March 19th at 12 :00PM.
(After March 19th, the link will provide access to the webinar recording)
