HAMILTON and NICKEL BELT – NDP Shadow Minister for Mental Health, Addictions, and Primary Care, Dr. Robin Lennox (Hamilton Centre), and Shadow Minister of Health, France Gélinas (Nickel Belt) are sounding the alarm on this year's Financial Accountability Office's report on Doug Ford and his Minister of Health's decline in spending for Ontario's health-sector.
"Health care workers have been warning this government that Ontario cannot afford to fall behind on health-care funding," said Dr. Lennox, "especially when Ontario is already facing a strained health care system.
"We know what we need to do to shorten ER wait-times and end hallway healthcare. This FAO report tells us that the Ford government is going in the opposite direction.
"We need a real plan to recruit, train, and retain the workers patients depend on, not funding projections that leave Ontario scrambling to fill the gaps. Ontarians deserve to know how their tax dollars are being spent, and how they're going to strengthen public healthcare, education, and social services."
"Ontarians should not have to accept fewer beds and declining capacity while this government is paving the way for for-profit clinics," said MPP Gélinas.
"Today's report shows that funding is not keeping pace with the needs of our growing and aging population. Patients are already being treated in hallways and waiting far too long to gain to access care.
"Doug Ford loves to make flashy announcements about improving our health care system, but the reality is he is leaving our system with a $3.8 billion gap and Ontario's health care workers and patients will be left paying the price for it."