MONTREAL -- Red Cross staffing is currently far below what was promised to compensate for the withdrawal of the Canadian Armed Forces in Quebec's long-term care facilities.
As of Monday, there were only 160 Red Cross employees working in residential and long-term care centres (CHSLDs). By the end of the week, there will be 235.
That staffing is well below the 900 people Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had promised would fill the gaps left by the Armed Forces, who came in to lend a hand at long-term care facilities at the height of the pandemic in the province.
Red Cross spokesperson Carole Du Sault told The Canadian Press that there were 957 applications accepted so far and that of these, around 700 people had received training.
Red Cross resources are deployed to CHSLDs as needs are identified by the province's health ministry, she said.
Quebec Premier François Legault office said it's not too upset about the difference.
Ewan Sauves, a spokesperson for Legault, said the current needs are not as great as what was estimated in June because the situation in long-term care homes has improved.
The estimate pointed to a need for 900 workers, but now it seems that 300 are all that's needed, he said.
The "vast majority" of care homes are doing well now, Sauves said, and September will bring a big staffing bump as the 10,000 orderlies currently in the fast-track training program will begin work.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 29, 2020.
