Toronto-area care home resident attacked, mother says, as support worker strike approaches 2 months

GTA give care place occupant attacked during on-going support worker strike

Warning: Images included in this story may be disturbing for some readers.

The mother of a resident of a care home west of Toronto says he was attacked by another resident while support workers from the facility remain on strike after almost two months.

Jan Beddoe’s son, Christopher Beddoe, 47, has lived under the care of Central West Specialized Developmental Services (CWSDS), based in Oakville, for about 20 years. 

“There will be a follow-up with a plastic surgeon,” Beddoe said. “He has an open wound which continues to need wound care on a daily basis, probably into the next month. And of course, he will end up with a pretty significant scar on his neck.”

CWSDS support workers have been on strike for wage increases and better working conditions since Nov. 19. Prior to that, as a contingency plan for a potential strike, the provincially-funded nonprofit closed various group homes and moved the residents living in them to its headquarters at 53 Bond St. In Oakville. Since then, family members, like Beddoe, have raised concerns about overcrowding and unsafe conditions.

Kyle declined to comment on this specific incident due to patient confidentiality requirements. 

In an email, Halton Regional Police Service confirmed officers and EMS attended 53 Bond St. Around 2:30 p.m. On Dec. 23 for a medical call involving potential assault. Officers investigated the incident but no criminal charges were laid. 

Halton police also previously confirmed a resident’s death at the facility on Dec. 19. No other details about this incident have been released.

When it comes to her son, Beddoe feels the attack would have never happened if it weren’t for the lingering strike. 

“This was a specific incident where the client who requires eyes on them at all times, one-to-one, was not being supported. He was not protected from harming someone else,” she said. 

Agency workers have been brought in to attend the residents during the strike, but they don’t have the skills and experience to prevent incidents like this from occurring, Beddoe said. 

She expressed full support for the striking workers, but said she also wants to see both sides reach a resolution as swiftly as possible. 

“I'd like to see the staff back and I'd like to see everyone happily returning to normal activities,” she said. “I'd like Christopher to be, and all of the clients to be, happy and to feel safe again.”

The striking workers were distraught to hear of this attack and last month’s death, said Vanessa Edwards, OPSEU Local 249’s vice president and a member of the union’s bargaining team.

“That's not their fault," she said. "They're out there on a legal strike trying to attain a fair wage and decent working conditions, but that still plays with you. That's the part that hurts for a lot of our members.”

As for the strike itself, the bargaining teams met on Jan. 8, Edwards said. 

“It went very well. There was some progress made,” she said. “We are committed to getting a fair negotiable deal and a fair wage for our members, one that treats them with respect and dignity.” 

Kyle issued a statement online the same day, calling the meeting positive and writing, “there continues to be significant work ahead to find the common ground necessary to reach a new collective agreement.”

The discussions are being facilitated by a mediator appointed by the Ministry of Labour and are set to continue on Jan. 16. 

But Beddoe feels the time between meetings is too long. 

“It just means that our loved ones are living in these untenable conditions for yet another week,” she said. “There's just no excuse for this at all. Get it done. Enough is enough.”

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