🍁 🇨🇦 Home Care & LTC · Canada · GP-written

Canada's home care and long-term
care system, province by province.

Six plain-English provincial guides plus the federal Disability Tax Credit — which health authority to contact, how assessment works, what it costs, and how to move faster when things are urgent.

🩺 Written by a GP 📚 7 guides 🔗 Provincial + federal sources Updated August 2026
Wayfinding

Which province are you in?

Home care and long-term care are run provincially in Canada, not federally — so the right guide depends entirely on where the person needing care lives.

All guides

Every province, one at a time

Read the guide for your own province — the systems don't transfer between them, so there's no need to read the others.

Coverage note: these guides currently cover British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec. Atlantic Canada (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI, Newfoundland and Labrador) and the territories aren't covered yet — if that's you, contact your provincial or territorial health authority directly, and check back here as the guide set grows.
Quick answers

Common questions

Which provinces does this hub cover?
British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec, plus the federal Disability Tax Credit which applies across the whole country. Atlantic Canada and the territories aren't covered yet — see the coverage note above.
Is this official Canadian government information?
No — CarerCompass is an independent, GP-authored site, not a government service. Every factual claim in these guides is sourced from the relevant provincial health authority or Government of Canada page and linked in that article's sources box. For your specific situation, always confirm current details directly with your provincial health authority or the CRA.
I don't know which system applies to me — where do I start?
Start with the guide for the province where the person needing care actually lives. Home care, long-term care, and assessment processes are run provincially in Canada, not federally, so the right guide depends entirely on location, not on your own province if it's different.
Does the Disability Tax Credit apply everywhere in Canada?
Yes — the DTC is a federal tax measure administered by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), so it works the same way regardless of which province you live in. See the dedicated DTC guide above for how the credit and transfer work.
What if my family member is about to be discharged from hospital?
If you're in Ontario, start with the LTC waitlist guide — it covers the crisis vs regular waitlist distinction and bed offer rules that matter most right after a hospital stay. In other provinces, your province's guide above explains who to contact first.
Other free tools

While you're here

General information only — not medical, legal, or financial advice. These guides explain how Canadian provincial and federal systems work in plain English. They do not replace advice from your provincial health authority, the CRA, a qualified advisor, or your own physician. Programme details, contact numbers, and processes change — always verify current information directly with the relevant government body before acting.