The federal government signed an agreement with Quebec to provide $221 million to fund long-term care homes in the province to address "gaps in infection control" and employment issues.

Federal Health Minister "Jean-Yves Duclos" announced the Safe Long-Term Care Fund in North Montreal on Monday morning alongside the MP for Bourassa and "Emmanuel Dubourg" and "MP Patricia Lattanzio" from Saint Leonard Saint Michel.

Duclos said: "We have seen in this particular area of Montreal, and in my own journey, the extent of the damage the pandemic caused to the elderly in long-term care homes."

The minister said the funding will help with infection control training and the use of personal protective equipment.

"This is not just for the elderly to live safely, but also for healthcare workers," while this represents a significant investment in Quebec.

Canada allocated one billion dollars in the 2020 fall economic statement to help provinces and territories strengthen preventive control measures in long-term care homes.

Ontario was granted $379,000 USD in SLTCF funding last April.

The health minister said "It took time to reach a good agreement" with Quebec regarding the investment.

The funding announcement comes one month after a scathing evaluation by the Quebec coroner following an inquiry into long-term care homes during the early days of the pandemic.

Coroner Jehan Kamel described some of Quebec's CHSLDs as "lamentable" due to the way residents were treated there and died in the first wave.

Through public hearings, inadequate staffing, weak infection control policies, and families being prevented from seeing their loved ones for several days amid the outbreak were revealed.

Residents were also known to suffer from malnutrition for several days at a time in care homes."