Hamilton’s residential care facilities: Can an old system learn new tricks?
Resource Details
Author(s): T.J. Andersson, Mary-Elizabeth Vaccaro, Rob Wilton
Date: March 20, 2026
Can an old system learn new tricks? That is the central question posed by the “modernization” plan for residential care facilities (RCFs), developed by the private consulting firm KPMG, which was commissioned by the City of Hamilton to evaluate the RCF funding model in early 2025.
On Dec. 3, council voted unanimously in favour of KPMG’s plan to “modernize” Hamilton’s RCF funding model. The decision was framed as long-overdue reform. In reality, it risks repackaging a deeply flawed system without addressing the conditions that have led to its failure over the last four decades.
On Dec. 3, council voted unanimously in favour of KPMG’s plan to “modernize” Hamilton’s RCF funding model. The decision was framed as long-overdue reform. In reality, it risks repackaging a deeply flawed system without addressing the conditions that have led to its failure over the last four decades.