What is ORCA?

The Province of Ontario does not regulate the operation of retirement residences. There are no provincial or federal government mandated "standards of care" for retirement homes. However, there is an organization called the Ontario Retirement Communities Association (ORCA) (formerly the Ontario Residential Care Association) that operates as a regulatory body for homes wishing membership with them.

Established in 1977, ORCA is a non-profit organization that sets professional standards, inspects and accredits retirement residences in Ontario. Not all retirement homes belong to ORCA as membership is voluntary and prospective members must undergo an accreditation process by ORCA. Only those that pass and continue to meet ORCA’s standards for accreditation are ORCA approved and can display their membership. Currently, ORCA membership represents about 60% of Ontario’s retirement residence sector. More than 23,000 seniors live in ORCA approved residences.

ORCA began its accreditation system in 1995. The third party system of evaluation gauges the critical operations of a retirement residence. ORCA’s standards were created by industry experts and focus on important operating requirements for a safe living environment. ORCA approved residences must meet standards in many areas including; quality of resident care, safety and security, emergency planning, building and property maintenance, recreation, food and meal services, housekeeping and laundry and compliance with tenancy legislation. Homes that fail surveys and/or are non-compliant with remedial action plans are expelled from ORCA.

ORCA operates a government-funded hotline called the Retirement Home Complaint Response and Information Service (CRIS) that the public can call to get information about retirement living and help understanding the options available in their community. The public can also get help resolving a complaint about any retirement residence, not just an ORCA approved residence.

Anyone wishing to contact ORCA can call 1 (800) 361-7254 or visit www.orca-homes.com.

Information provided by Jill Voytek, Manager, Public Affairs and Communications, ORCA

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