Ottawa area health-care workers react to Ontario throne speech

Throne Speech unveils government priorities Some say the province's plan to tackle the healthcare system crisis doesn't go far enough. CTV's Colton Praill reports.

In a message to Ontarians about their plans for the province, the Ford government hinted at a “bold” new strategy for health care.

Some fear it’s the first steps on the path to privatization.

“As the province continues to pursue these [health care] reforms, it will not be limited by conventional thinking that stifles innovation and preserves a status quo that struggles to respond to growing challenges and changing needs. Instead, guided by the best evidence and the successes of other jurisdictions, your government will take bold action that prioritizes patients and their health above all else,” Ontario Lieutenant-Governor Elizabeth Dowdeswell read.

The province acknowledged the struggles affecting the health-care system across Ontario, including emergency room shutdowns in the capital, but pushed back against claims the system is in crisis.

The PC government says that nine out of 10 high-urgency patients are finishing their emergency visit within target times, and that surgeries at happening at 90 percent of pre-pandemic levels.

Ontario hospitals say it is thanks to the ability of health-care workers to pivot that they’re able to continue operating at an even higher capacity than pre-pandemic levels.

“It is short-staffed but running more beds than [Kingston Health Sciences Centre] did before the pandemic,” Dr. David Pichora, President and CEO of Kingston Health Sciences Centre said. “Short-staffed today really means we’re running a baseline number of beds that’s far greater than we ever did before the pandemic.”

The province highlighting the more than $40 billion being spent on health care, and the creation of more than 3500 new hospital beds, 30,000 long term care beds as well as the expansion of current hospitals like the $29 million allotted for new Civic campus In Ottawa.

The Ottawa Hospital said in a statement that it was pleased to see the Speech from the Throne highlight health care.

“The Ottawa Hospital is pleased to see that the provincial government is continuing to invest in our health-care system, as we work through the COVID-19 pandemic and plan for the future of health-care. We continue to work productively with the Ministry of Health to ensure that we provide high-quality care to everyone in need,” the statement said.

But health-care leaders say virtually every aspect of the system needs to be upgraded.

“We certainly need strategies for training and retaining or recruiting professionals. Physicians, nurses, RPNs, respiratory therapists, social workers, there’s a long list of people that we need to expand that capacity. We need to modernize our hospitals,” Dr. Pichota said.

Others are warning the new investments touted by the province will have little benefit if they cannot solve the root problems that have led to a health-care exodus.

“You can put as much money as you want into infrastructure in new beds, and new facilities and new training programs but if you’re not addressing the root cause of why are people not staying, all that money is for nothing,” Rachel Muir, a Register Nurse and the Bargaining President for the Ontario Nurses Association Local 83, said.

The province says it needs more help, calling on the federal government to increase health transfer from 22 per cent to 35 per cent.

Muir says the province needs to start by admitting the system is in crisis.

“How long do we have to keep repeating this message until it finally gets through? Honestly, I think we’re going to have to keep repeating it until people start to die. And that is coming,” she said.