The short version
A long-term care home is for people who need 24-hour nursing and personal care and can no longer live safely on their own. A retirement home is private rental housing for seniors who live largely independently and choose to pay for some support services. This site covers long-term care homes.
How they differ
- Who pays
- Long-term care is publicly funded; residents pay only a set co-payment for accommodation and meals. Retirement homes are paid for privately, at rates each home sets.
- Who regulates them
- Long-term care homes are regulated by the Ministry of Long-Term Care under the Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021, and inspected by the Ministry. Retirement homes are regulated by the Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority (RHRA) under the Retirement Homes Act, 2010.
- Level of care
- Long-term care provides nursing care on site 24 hours a day. Retirement homes offer optional services, such as meals, housekeeping, and some personal care, that residents add and pay for.
- How you get in
- You apply for long-term care through Ontario Health atHome, which assesses eligibility and manages a waiting list. You arrange a retirement home directly with the home, with no government assessment.
Which one fits
If the need is for 24-hour nursing care, long-term care is the relevant option, and you can start by searching homes and reading their inspection records here. If the need is mainly for housing with some support, a retirement home may fit better; those are listed on the RHRA public register, not on this site.
The two are sometimes on one campus, but they are licensed and regulated separately. This site’s records, inspections, and indicators are for long-term care homes only.
Related
These guides are written by ReportONCare to explain Ontario’s public long-term care record. Government sources are linked in the text, and the official versions are authoritative. See our methodology.
Last updated June 16, 2026