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Covering three months of rate increase

Province giving relief to residents in continuing care

Apr 5, 2022 | 3:53 PM

Continuing care residents will get a three-month break on their accommodation charges this year, says the Alberta government.

Each year continuing care operators can raise accommodation rates on July 1 by the rate of inflation over the previous year. That increase is 5.5. per cent this year.

The province says it will provide $10.4 million to operators, on behalf of residents, to cover the increase from July 1 to Sept. 30.

Health Minister Jason Copping says passing on the full increase to residents would be an undue strain for them and their families.

Copping says the government will look at ways to reduce the burden on residents after the three-month reprieve and also ensure operators have the revenue needed to maintain services.

Accommodation charges reflect the cost of providing such things as resident rooms, meals and meal service, laundering of towels and linens, housekeeping services, utilities, routine building maintenance and general administration.