Staff speak out about guest home living conditions

 In News

Facing food shortages, staff at Huronia Guest Home in Stayner went public last week with their concerns about the living and working conditions.

In desperation, staff began posting to social media, saying 13 loaves of bread and four packages of bologna was all they had to feed the unlicensed, privately-owned assisted living facility’s 27 residents for the week.

Members of the community began sharing the Facebook posts in an effort to raise awareness, with at least one person referring to it as “Stayner’s dirty little secret.”

The home’s cook, Candice Moncreiff, posted to Facebook, “I work at Huronia Guest Home. I have now, on and off for the last four years. I keep coming back because of the residents, they hold a special place in all of our hearts. But now the owners do not want to buy food nor do they want to pay us. The staff we have not been paid in over a month. And the only food they have bought is bread and bologna. They, and we, deserve better.”

Staff said they have not been paid since mid-December.

Moncreiff told The Echo she was expecting backlash but the working conditions have deteriorated further since the staff went public with their concerns and she doesn’t know what to do. She said she is worried about being able to pay her own rent, and doesn’t want to walk away from her job out of concerns for the residents, and without receiving compensation.

Mayor Doug Measures addressed the concerns during Monday’s council meeting, saying the municipality has limited authority.

“I can confirm our fire services have been very much engaged all through 2021 and 2022 with the facility,” he said, adding there have been inspections, non- compliance orders, and repairs ordered.

Measures said the facility passed its 2022 fire code inspections but property standards violations are still outstanding.

He said the province of Ontario is aware and the County of Simcoe is also engaged.

Measures said the situation illustrates “a real hole in the legislation.”

“There are some really obvious areas of administrative and legislative responsibility that’s missing between provincial legislation and municipal legislation and frankly, human dignity issues, so it’s a really frustrating thing,” he said.

Measures commends the community response to support the residents, including the Stayner Lions Club for delivering food and the Busby Centre for providing staff.

“There has been significant media coverage and I know that our staff is working diligently to deal with this crisis.”

The social media campaign resulted in donations from the community, and exposed a bed bug infestation that goes back as far as 2017, or longer.

Huronia Guest Home is for sale and has since announced it will close its doors, leaving residents with few options for housing, and unable to take their belongings with them due to the infestation.

Representing the facility’s owner, lawyer Nadine Schweishelm said, ”I confirm that the facility will be shut down and that ownership is working with a number of different agencies to help with relocation.”

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  • Carol Baker
    Reply

    I would not trust.the ownership to find them somewhere else to live. The should be charged with Failing to provide necessities of life..these people came here trusting they would be looked after.

  • Loretta Duits
    Reply

    I raised my family in this small town called Stayner… When l lost my son in an accident this town was unbelievable with all support l received… from lions club… to churches.. to all groups in our town… l was surrounded by everyone with so much love…When l read on Facebook about the Huronia Guest Home l was in complete shock!!! How could this happen in such a giving open hearted town❤️I realized this is happening everywhere We as a people can do amazing things!!! I know… l was surrounded by amazing things…I know it was over 20 years ago that this town gifted me their love and support…. but seeing what this town has done for Huronia Guest Home!!!!We can do so much…. soo proud of the people of this town…. all the employees… and everyone who participated ❤️❤️❤️

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