B.C.’s Health Minister says the province widely increased staffing levels at senior care homes in the Kamloops area last year.

Adrian Dix says $5.3 million was spent for Interior Health to add staff at 31 senior homes, including five in Kamloops.

Dix says across all of B.C., $240 million is being spent in the next three years to reach 3.36 hours of care per resident each day.

“That’s $50 million dollars in the year that we’re in, $80 million dollars next year nad $110 millions in the third year. And it takes that to get to 3.36, and that’s 1,500 new care staff, 900 different caregivers.”

Dix says the $5.3 million spent across IH last year led to 77,000 extra hours of direct care for seniors.

In Kamloops, the province committed $966,000 last year to add staff at senior care homes; for Ridgeview Lodge ($86,000 dollars), Pinegrove Lodge ($173,000), Kamloops Seniors Village ($210,000), The Hamlets at Westsyde ($242,000) and the Brocklehurst Gemstone Care Centre ($255,000).