Stop Orchard Villa's Licence Renewal

Health advocates asking judge to quash licence renewal for Pickering’s Orchard Villa

February 13, 2024

Orchard Villa is owned by Southbridge Care Homes. More than 70 residents died there during the first wave of COVID-19.

Advocates and family members are asking for a judge’s opinion on whether Pickering’s Orchard Villa residence should have received a licence extension by the province.

The Ontario Health Coalition announced the legal action Tuesday. The group is seeking a judicial review of the matter, noting alleged health violations and the deaths of residents during the early waves of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The Ministry [of Municipal Affairs and Housing] has approved a new build for Southbridge Care in Pickering in contradiction to its own legislation,” said Cathy Parkes, whose father Paul died at the home in April 2020, in a release on Tuesday. “Long-term care homes with repeated failures do not deserve a free pass. After the deaths of so many loved ones, including my father, and the continued failures detailed in incident reports, Southbridge care should not have received the award of extra beds and a 30-year license for Orchard Villa. Ontarians deserve to know that care is the primary focus of long-term care.”

Read more at Durham Radio News. com