Cuts+Restructuring Backgrounders, Fact Sheets & Briefing Notes

FACT SHEET: The Privatization of Ontario’s Public Hospital Services

(March 8, 2022) The Ford government’s privatization plans The Ford government has continued plans to privatize health care by contracting private facilities to perform surgeries and other procedures such as diagnostic imaging. Taking it further, on Tuesday, February 1, the Ford government announced its plans to allow private clinics (called “Independent Health Facilities”) to operate private hospitals. […]

FACT SHEET: Why Stop the Privatization of Long-Term Care

(March 8, 2022) How Long-Term Care is Being Privatized There have been two big initiatives to privatize LTC in Ontario in recent decades: In 1998, Ontario’s Conservative Mike Harris government built 20,000 new long-term care beds and allocated the majority of them to for-profit corporations, including large chain companies. This tipped the balance from a […]

FACT SHEET: Two-Tier Health Care and Private Clinics

(March 8, 2022) Canada Health Act Principles The 1984 Canada Health Act is rooted in the core principles of equity and compassion. Its primary objective is “to protect, promote, and restore the physical and mental well-being of residents of Canada and to facilitate reasonable access to health services without financial or other barriers.” The Canada […]

JUST THE FACTS: Facts About Health Care, Cuts & Privatization

(March 1, 2022) Here are fact sheets on health care cuts & privatization, with sources for all data: Why Not Privatize Our Public Health Care Services Fightback to Save Public Health Care & Stop Privatization Long-Term Care Privatization Home Care Privatization Privatization of COVID-19 Testing in Ontario Fast Facts on Health Care Funding in Ontario

RELEASE & BACKGROUNDER: Ford Government’s Home Care Changes Dismantle Public Control, Risk Privatization

(March 5, 2020) Toronto – In a press conference at the Ontario Legislature today, spokespeople for the Ontario Health Coalition raised concerns about the Ford government’s new home care legislation that the Health Coalition reported is being rushed through the legislature at break-neck speed. The Bill, Connecting People to Home and Community Care Act 2020, […]

RELEASE & BACKGROUNDER: Province Ignored Repeated Warnings and Evidence Leading to Yesterday’s Declaration of “State of Emergency” in Brampton Hospital, Similar Issues Apply Across Ontario

(January 24, 2020) Following the city’s declaration of a health care emergency in Brampton, on the heels of CBC’s release of new hospital overcrowding data, the Ontario Health Coalition revealed repeated warnings and reports from the District Health Council, thousands of Brampton residents, the Ontario Health Coalition and other groups showing that the community’s hospital […]

UPDATE: Mounting Health Care Cuts

List of the Ford government health care cuts to date: Cut OHIP+ so families with sick children will have to seek private coverage first and pay deductibles and co-payments (June 2018). Cut planned mental health funding by more than $330 million per year (July 2018). Cancelled all new planned overdose prevention sites. (Autumn 2018). Cut […]

UPDATE: Mounting Health Care Cuts

An updated version of this list can be found here. List of the Ford government health care cuts to date: ● Cut OHIP+ so families with sick children will have to seek private coverage first and pay deductibles and co-payments. (June 2018) ● Cut planned mental health funding by more than $330 million. (July 2018) […]

BRIEFING NOTE: Ontario Health Coalition Briefing Note on Ontario Cabinet Shuffle: Deep Concerns about Ideological Positions of New Minister of Long-Term Care & Associate Minister of Mental Health & Addictions

(June 21, 2019) Toronto – In his press conference announcing the cabinet shuffle, Premier Doug Ford claimed that more than 80 percent of his platform had been implemented. The Health Coalition notes that nothing could be further than the truth when it comes to health care.  The Coalition also raised concerns about the pro-privatization, anti-public health […]

BRIEFING NOTE: List of local hospital and health services cuts/mergers/privatization

(May 30, 2019) Cut over 120 full time equivalent staff including nurses, health professionals and patient support staff from Sudbury’s Health Sciences North. After protests by the public and the Health Coalition some of the cuts were rolled back but significant cuts continued nonetheless. (November 2018) Privatized lab service, transcription, and patient transportation; outsourced microbiology […]

URGENT UPDATE: Undeniable signals Doug Ford intends major health care privatization

(April 18, 2019) Toronto – The signals that Doug Ford intends major health care privatization, restructuring and cuts have become undeniable: if you care about health care for all it is time to come out. Cuts: The Ontario Budget contains bad news for health care. Cuts are coming. Overall health funding increases are less than […]

RELEASE, ANALYSIS & BRIEFING NOTE: Health Care Omnibus Bill Sets Up Ontario for Health System Mega-Mergers & Privatization: Worse than the Leaked Draft, Health Coalition Warns

(Updated: April 1, 2019) Click here for our submission to the Standing Committee on Social Policy regarding Bill 74 (April 2019) Click here for update on health omnibus bill hearings (March 2019) Click here for printable version of health omnibus bill briefing note (March 2019) Click here for printable version of health omnibus bill media […]

URGENT UPDATE: FORD GOV’T SWEEPING HEALTH CARE RESTRUCTURING BILL

Ford government gives 2-days notice for public hearings to be in Toronto only The new health care law that the Ford government is pushing through has been “time allocated” for public hearings. That means that the Ford Conservatives have limited the time for public hearings. We have been asking for broad public hearings on this […]

VIDEO: Better health care through innovation “The Agenda, March 4, 2019”

Natalie Mehra, executive director of the Ontario Health Coalition, joined a health care panel on The Agenda with Steve Paikin. A video of the panel can be found below. Analysis Click here for original video

BRIEFING NOTE: Gordon Campbell – Canada’s Arch Health Care Privateer and Author of the Worst Cuts in B.C.’s History, September 20, 2018

(September 20, 2018) Briefing Note Gordon Campbell – Canada’s Arch Health Care Privateer and Author of the Worst Cuts in B.C.’s History Not only does he have an abysmal record on financial matters, but former B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell, whom Doug Ford appointed to lead the Independent Financial Commission of Inquiry in Ontario, is perhaps […]

BRIEFING NOTE: Pre-Budget Note

(April 26, 2017) In a speech April 13 to the Empire Club, Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa reported that in every corner of Ontario he heard from residents, civic leaders and businesses that health care and public hospitals are top priority issues, and he promised significant investments in this year’s budget. These increases will follow […]

RELEASE & BACKGROUND: Ontario Government Responsible for Overwhelmed Hospital Emergency Departments: Critical Bed Shortages “Systemic and Pervasive”

(January 10, 2017) Reports of critical and pervasive hospital bed shortages are streaming in from across Ontario. In Brantford, hospital officials recently reported the “emergency department is overwhelmed”. At Lakeridge Health, all four hospitals across Durham are so full that hospital managers set up an emergency “command centre”. In Ottawa and London health coalition members […]

UPDATE & BRIEFING NOTES: Durham/Scarborough Hospital Merger Mania

(November 24, 2016) UPDATE POSTED NOV. 24:  Minister of Health Orders Mega-Hospital Merger “By Fiat”: Health Coalition Outraged, Vows to take its Fight to the Legislature Durham/Scarborough – The Ontario Health Coalition expressed outrage in reaction to news that the Minister of Health is forcing through massive hospital mergers in Scarborough and Durham affecting more than […]

CALL-OUT: November 21 Giant Rally at Queen’s Park to STOP the private clinics

(October 24, 2014) STOP private clinics SAVE our local public hospitals 12 p.m. Friday November 21 Giant Rally @ Ontario Legislature, Queen’s Park Toronto

POWERPOINT PRESENTATION: Webinar on the Drummond Report

(February 18, 2012) This is a recording of the OHC Webinar consisting of a full briefing and analysis of the Drummond Report.

BACKGROUNDER: The Drummond Commission: A Cover for Cuts and Privatization

(January 23, 2012) The Ontario Health Coalition exposes the Drummond Commission, Drummond’s history of dismantling our social safety net and privatizing public assets when he was in government …

BRIEFING NOTE: on Ontario’s Hospital Cuts and Restructuring 2008/2009

(December 2, 2008) A major round of hospital cuts and restructuring is underway in every health region in the province causing major layoffs, privatization and threatening local Emergency Rooms, birthing facilities and hospital beds. This new briefing note by the Ontario Health Coalition examines the cuts region by region. Click here for Briefing Note (December […]