The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care has ordered three Ontario nursing homes to cease admissions due to substandard care.

The order means no new residents are allowed to move into Earls Court Long Term Care in London and the Tyndall Nursing Home in Mississauga -- both operated by the Sharon Village Care Homes chain -- and a home from the Caressant Care chain in Fergus.

Health Minister Eric Hoskins says in a letter that the results of a recent ministry inspection of Tyndall and Earls Court are "deeply concerning" -- adding inspectors found the London home's staffing plan does not meet the residents' care needs.

On Tuesday, Hoskins issued a statement regarding the matter.

Earlier today, my Ministry ordered 3 long-term care homes in the province to cease admissions. As Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, I take my responsibility very seriously to ensure residents in each and every long term care home are safe and secure.

Our thorough inspection regime has identified concerns at Earls Court, Tyndall and Caressant Care Fergus and it is completely unacceptable that these operators are not meeting the province’s standards. The distressing practice of failing to meet provincial standards will not be accepted in Ontario.

These conditions highlight how crucial the additional enforcement tools included in my ministry’s recently introduced legislation, the Strengthening Quality and Accountability for Patients Act, will be in ensuring the high quality of care that our loved ones deserve.

The changes we have introduced will enhance our oversight system for long-term care homes and enable us to financially penalize home operators with recurring care and safety concerns that are not being addressed.

However I will not wait for the House to pass this important piece of legislation before taking decisive action. As Minister, I am acting immediately by ordering these ceases of admissions and clearly outlining my expectations to the sector moving forward. I am prepared to use every tool available to ensure every home in Ontario is a place deserving of our fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters.

I will also be writing directly to the Presidents of the corporations affected by these ceases of admissions clearly outlining my firm expectations moving forward. I will also be asking them to immediately work with us in raising the quality of care they are providing.

Ontario is a place we should all be comfortable to grow old in, and as Minister I will not rest until this value is met in every long-term care home in Ontario.

Both companies have sent written statements to the Toronto Star saying they will work with the ministry to resolve the problems.

A copy of the order from the province can be seen here: http://publicreporting.ltchomes.net/en-ca/File.aspx?RecID=18447&FacilityID=21319