Home-care program thought to be $5.6M over budget highlights P.E.I. union's privatization fears

The P.E.I. Union of Public Sector Employees is raising concerns about a home-care program that it says is an example of health-care privatization — and seems to be millions of dollars over budget.

It's called the Self-Managed Care Program. According to a Health P.E.I. client handbook obtained by UPSE, it's designed to provide funding for support at home for seniors and other people with serious health issues who might otherwise be going into long-term care.

That raises a red flag with UPSE executive director Jason Rendell. 

"I think that's a prime example of privatization," he told CBC News. 

"This was an existing public service that was offered through the home-care support program ... In addition to that, the individuals that actually work underneath home care, which [are] our members, are being advised that they ... can't work for these private entities, therefore taking our work away."

Finding out about the program is challenging too, he said.

"There's nothing on the website," he said. 

"The biggest concern, basically, would be the quality of care that people are getting... We just feel that the service should be provided through the public [system], where again, I said before, there's accountability, transparency and trained, quality care."

In a statement to CBC News, Health P.E.I. said the program is a pilot meant to "complement the suite of programs helping Islanders who are eligible for long-term care stay in their home as long as possible."

The agency said seniors and other people with serious health issues can get money for respite and personal care from relatives not living at the same address, from friends or from private-hire care supports. 

"It also allows clients to decide for themselves the nature and timing of care that suits them — even in the evenings and overnight hours when home care isn't available," said the statement. 

In January 2025, the union filed a freedom of information request with Health P.E.I. seeking information about the program.

The information provided by Health P.E.I. says the "forecasted spending for the Self-Managed Care Program for the [fiscal year] 2024- 2025 is $350,000."  

However, another document with information taken from Health P.E.I.'s third-quarter forecast for 2024-2025 says the "forecasted spending for the Self-Managed Care Program and the Long-Term Care at Home Program for the [fiscal year] 2024-2025 is $6,015,941."