Today, the Provincial Government launched an independent
commission to investigate the spread of COVID-19 within long-term
care homes, including how residents, staff and families were
impacted and the adequacy of measures taken by the province and
other parties to prevent, isolate and contain the spread.
Ontario's Long-Term Care COVID-19 Commission (the
“Commission”) is not set up as a formal public inquiry.
Instead, it is established under s.78 of the Health
Protection and Promotion Act (“HPPA”), which
authorizes the Minister to appoint a person to investigate the
causes of any disease and mortality in Ontario. The Ministry has
appointed three Commissioners to lead the investigation, namely
Associate Chief Justice Frank N. Marrocco (who will chair the
Commission), Angela Coke (a former senior executive with the
Ontario Public Service) and Dr. Jack Kitts (former President and
CEO of The Ottawa Hospital).
