My grandfather is a resident at Rose of Sharon, the only Korean-cultural long term care home in Toronto. Rykka Care Centres LP, a for-profit company, wants to take its license over and run the home — even though they have consistently failed to protect the lives and rights of their residents and workers. 

Three of their facilities (Eatonville, Anson Place and Hawthorne Place) were centres of COVID-19 outbreaks in April, resulting in 115 deaths — primarily due to Rykka’s negligence and callous indifference. The Services Employees International Union (SEIU) president Sharleen Stewart called Rykka’s handling of the pandemic “pure negligence”, and asked the province to take over operations at those facilities. The military, brought in to manage two of their outbreaks, described Eatonville’s staff as displaying a “general culture of fear to use supplies because they cost money.”

Prime Minister Trudeau called the military’s report “deeply disturbing.” Premier Ford said, “It was the worst… most heart-wrenching report I have ever read in my entire life.” 

Rykka says they’ll maintain the home’s Korean-Canadian cultural designation if their request is approved — but why would anyone trust a company motivated solely by profits without any meaningful connection to the Korean community? The Korean community raised $3.5 million to buy the home and operate it as a non-profit in 2018, but it wasn’t enough and Rykka won the bid. 

This is our last chance to stop Rykka and save my grandfather’s life, along with all the lives of our most vulnerable, aging loved ones. Turning Rose of Sharon over to Rykka would affect more than just the Korean community. An outbreak there would affect everyone in the city, straining resources and contributing to a pandemic already out of control. 

Join this petition and help us send a message to the Ministry of Long-Term Care. 

We demand the Ministry deny the proposal in Project #21-010, and refuse to transfer the Long-Term Care licence of Rose of Sharon Korean LTC to Rykka Care Centres LP.

We also demand that Rose of Sharon LTC be sold to a not-for-profit operator with a vested interest in the well-being of all stakeholders, including the Korean-Canadian community and the current Rose of Sharon residents.

If not, the Rose of Sharon’s current and future residents won’t be the only ones that suffer.  

Learn more here: CBC Article

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