Future Direction of Riverdale Hospital
The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee recommends the adoption of
the following report (July 3, 1998) from the Commissioner of Community and
Neighbourhood Services:
Purpose:
The purpose of this report is to clarify the status of Riverdale Hospital, its relationship to the
Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), Local 79, and the City of Toronto, and
provide details regarding the plans of the Board of Directors of the Hospital with respect to
future directions.
Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:
There are no financial implications arising from this report.
Recommendation:
It is recommended that the City of Toronto take no action with respect to the future direction
of Riverdale Hospital, except if requested to do so by the Board of Directors of the Hospital.
Background:
At its meeting on June 18, 1998, the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee
had a report before it from the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services
providing an overview of the announcement of the Ministry of Health with respect to
long-term care reinvestment and the implications for the City of Toronto. The Committee
also had before it a communication from Mr. Dennis Casey, Acting President, Canadian
Union of Public Employees, Local 79, requesting that the City of Toronto respond to the
Ministry of Health's Request for Proposal process to renovate the Riverdale Hospital for use
as a long-term care facility.
The Committee referred the communication from Mr. Dennis Casey to the Commissioner of
Community and Neighbourhood Services for a report responding to the viability of the
CUPE Local 79 request.
Further to the correspondence submitted to the City of Toronto, CUPE Local 79 also wrote
to Ms.Marilyn Churley, MPP (June 26, 1998) detailing their desire to have the Hospital kept
in public hands, explaining their proposal for the Hospital to become part of the City of
Toronto's Homes for the Aged Division, and indicating their interest in having the City
apply to the Ministry of Health's RFP process to establish a long-term care facility on the
site.
Although CUPE Local 79 is the bargaining agent for both the City of Toronto and the
Riverdale Hospital, each employer organization has a separate collective agreement and
engages in separate bargaining processes.
The Riverdale Hospital was built by the former City of Toronto in 1893. The City directly
operated the Hospital until the creation of the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto in 1953.
In 1963, Metropolitan Council established the Riverdale Hospital as a separate legal entity,
and provided the Hospital with a 100-year lease for use of its current buildings and lands.
The Health Services Restructuring Commission (HSRC) directed the Riverdale Hospital to
cease its operation as a public hospital by March 31, 2000, and advised the hospital to
consider conversion to a long-term care facility. The hospital is intending to pursue that
direction, and have communicated same in writing to the City of Toronto (May 19, 1998).
Comments:
The City of Toronto Homes for the Aged Division currently owns and operates ten Homes
for the Aged, and has been engaged in a successful multi-year plan to improve the efficiency
and effectiveness of the Homes' operation based on the revised funding formula
implemented by the Ministry of Health. The Ministry of Health's recent announcement with
respect to reinvestment in long-term care improves the Division's financial position in terms
of the operating budget. However, there is an initial indication that one or more of the City's
Homes may require significant capital improvements within the next five to ten years. As
more details become available, staff will be reporting back to Committee with respect to the
implications of these suggested upgrades. Improvement of the Homes for the Aged currently
owned and operated by the City of Toronto is viewed by staff as the highest priority for the
Division, rather than the acquisition of an additional long-term care facility.
Staff of the Homes for the Aged Division and Riverdale Hospital informally liaise, from
time-to-time, on professional issues related to long-term care, and there is a historic
collaborative working relationship between the two organizations. This collaboration has
been successful because both organizations respect the governance structure and role of their
individual entities, and respect each other's right to develop strategic directions independent
of one another.
The Board of Directors of the Riverdale Hospital approved a motion at its May 26, 1998,
meeting directing its staff to respond to the current Ministry of Health Request for Proposals
process for long-term care beds. Deadline for submissions to the Ministry of Health is July
31, 1998, and the Riverdale Hospital intends to meet this target date. Staff of the Riverdale
Hospital are currently working on preparing their submission.
Although CUPE Local 79 indicates an interest in having the City of Toronto take a lead role
in responding to the RFP process on behalf of the Riverdale Hospital, such an undertaking is
not recommended at this time. First, any action in this direction would appear to be contrary
to the advice given to the Riverdale Hospital by the Health Services Restructuring
Commission. Second, this direction would not be congruent with the strategic priorities and
directions of either the Homes for the Aged Division and the Riverdale Hospital itself. Last,
this direction would not respect the long-standing relationship between the municipality and
the Riverdale Hospital as evidenced through the 100-year lease.
It is expected that staff of the two organizations will continue to work co-operatively as
professional colleagues during a time of transition and change for the Riverdale Hospital. In
that spirit, staff of the Homes for the Aged Division are willing and able to respond to
assistance requested by the Riverdale Hospital, if and when such a direction is approved by
their Board of Directors.
Contact Name:
Sandra Pitters,
General Manager, Homes for the Aged Division
Tel: 392-8907; Fax: 392-4180; E-mail: sandra_pitters@metrodesk.metrotor.on.ca
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The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee reports, for the information of
Council, also having had before it during consideration of the foregoing matter a
communication (July 14, 1998) from Mr. Denis Casey, Acting President, Canadian Union of
Public Employees, Local 79, in support of the recommendation embodied in the report date
July 3, 1998, from the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services.