Item - 2022.QS6.6

The Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Advisory Committee recommends that:

1. City Council direct the General Manager, Seniors Services and Long-Term Care to:

a. ensure that the "The Leading and Learning with Pride - A Tool Kit to Support 2SLGBTQI+ Seniors'' is implemented in City long-term care homes;

b. provide mandatory 2SLGBTQI+ cultural competency training, based on the "Leading and Learning with Pride - A Tool Kit to Support 2SLGBTQI+ Seniors", to staff of the City's long-term care homes;

c. develop an accountability mechanism to monitor the training set out in Part b above; and

d. secure the necessary funds to ensure the training of all staff of the City's long-term care homes.

2. City Council direct the General Manager, Seniors Services and Long-Term Care to report back to the Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Advisory Committee, or the Executive Committee, as appropriate, by the third quarter of 2023. 

I have been made aware of situations where homophobia and neglect, in the name of religious beliefs, is happening in one of the City of Toronto 10 long-term care homes, and is tragically affecting the daily lives of the 2SLGBTQI+ Seniors who reside in that establishment. It has also come to my attention that the 2SLGBTQI+ training tool kit - “Diversity our Strength“ is not being used in the City’s 10 long-term care homes. The tool kit was originally developed (in 2008 and “refreshed“ in 2017) with input from The 519, Rainbow Health, Sherbourne Health and the Toronto Senior Pride Network, to train all staff in the City’s 10 long-term care homes, on how to work with and care for 2SLGBTQI+ Seniors.

I ask for your support to ensure that all staff in the City’s 10 long-term care homes are trained using the tool kit - Leading and Learning with Pride - and the training is mandatory with an accountability mechanism to monitor the training.