Public vs Private Home Care in Ontario: A Plain Guide

Public vs private home care in Ontario

Families across the GTA keep asking the same question: what does the government cover, and when do I need to pay privately? Here's the honest version.

Publicly funded care: Ontario Health atHome

Ontario Health atHome arranges government-funded home care. You call, a care coordinator assesses your parent's needs and eligibility, and approved agencies deliver the funded hours. It's a real benefit and it's free — but it is not a directory you browse, and the funded hours are limited. For moderate needs that often means a few hours of personal support a week, sometimes after a waitlist.

Private-pay care: caregivers and agencies

Private care is what you arrange and pay for directly — an agency or an independent caregiver. You choose who, when, and how many hours. It's flexible and can scale up to 24-hour or live-in care, but you pay out of pocket (typically $28–$50 per hour in the GTA). See full cost ranges.

Why most families use both

Here's what actually happens. A parent gets approved for a handful of funded hours, but those hours don't cover the mornings, the overnights, or the level of supervision the family needs. So they keep the funded care and add private hours on top. That blend — public for what it covers, private for the rest — is the norm, not the exception.

Public vs private

CostFree vs $28–$50/hr

HoursLimited vs unlimited

You choose the caregiverNo vs yes

24-hour / live-inRare vs available

Wait timePossible vs days

Where to start

If you haven't already, call Ontario Health atHome to see what your parent qualifies for. Then, for everything that funded care won't cover, that's where a verified private provider comes in — and where we can help you find one fast.

Common questions

What is Ontario Health atHome?

Ontario Health atHome is the provincial service that arranges publicly funded home and community care. It replaced the Home and Community Care Support Services (formerly the LHINs and CCACs). A care coordinator assesses eligibility, then approved agencies deliver the funded care.

How many hours of funded home care can you get in Ontario?

It depends on assessed need and local capacity. Funded personal support is often a few hours a week for moderate needs. It rarely covers round-the-clock care, which is why many families add private care.

Can I use both public and private home care?

Yes, and many families do. You can receive funded hours through Ontario Health atHome and pay privately for additional hours, overnight coverage, or specialized care to fill the gaps.