Patients seeking care inside Windsor-area emergency rooms are waiting significantly longer than they were five years ago, according to a new report examining hospital funding pressures across Ontario. The report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives found all hospitals in the Erie St. Clair region were operating in deficit last fiscal year, while key emergency room wait-time indicators at Windsor Regional Hospital and Bluewater Health have climbed. At Windsor Regional Hospital, the report says the amount of time within which 90 per cent of ER patients were first seen by a doctor rose from 4.7 hours in 2020-21 to 8.7 hours in 2024-25. For patients admitted through the ER who needed a hospital bed, the amount of time within which 90 per cent were admitted rose from 19.8 hours to 34 hours over the same period. “The hospital funding crisis in Ontario is having a direct impact on patient access to hospital care,” said Andrew Longhurst, a senior researcher with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. At Bluewater Health in Sarnia, the report says the time within which 90 per cent of ER patients were first seen by a doctor rose from 2.3 hours to 3.3 hours over five years. For admitted patients waiting in the ER for a hospital bed, the time increased from 12.7 hours to 27.3 hours. Longhurst said the financial pressure facing hospitals affects what they can prioritize. “What that means is that hospitals are, rather than thinking about how to expand services, how to increase staffing levels, they are concerned about how to reduce costs,” he said. The CCPA report calls for $3.2 billion in additional hospital funding across Ontario, along with a provincial health workforce strategy. Longhurst said hospitals need operating dollars to keep pace with rising costs, population growth, aging, and staffing needs. “We need to see the provincial government step up and invest in hospitals so patients can get the access that they need,” he said. Paramedics point to broader system pressure According to the local paramedics’ union, hospital underfunding is only one part of why emergency departments are under pressure. James Jovanovic, president of CUPE 2974, said paramedics are seeing the strain on the front lines. “So, we’re certainly seeing this on the front line. As far as patients seeing longer waits, it’s because the whole health care system, from top to bottom, is underfunded and understaffed and under-resourced,” he said. Jovanovic said many patients end up in the ER because they feel they have few other places to turn, especially after hours. He pointed to a lack of 24-hour urgent care clinics, not enough family doctors and staffing challenges in nursing homes as issues that push more patients toward hospital emergency departments. “Everybody goes to the hospital, many by ambulance,” he said. “And it just creates this bottleneck.” According to Jovanovic, some patients arrive by ambulance believing it will move them through the ER faster. “This is a common misconception. It absolutely does not result in faster care,” he said. Once a patient arrives at the hospital, they are triaged by hospital staff based on medical need. If paramedics cannot transfer a patient into the waiting room or a bed, crews can be stuck in hospital hallways with patients on stretchers. Those delays, he said, are discouraging for paramedics and can keep ambulances tied up instead of responding to other calls. “You might be there for several hours with one patient, but then the second you go back onto the road, you’re just picking up someone else and back at it again, stuck in the same system,” he said. WRH cites system-wide pressures In a statement, Windsor Regional Hospital said it is aware of the report and the broader discussion around hospital funding in Ontario. “WRH is among many Ontario hospitals facing system-wide challenges, including rising labour and supply costs and increased patient volumes,” the statement reads. The hospital said it takes “a proactive approach to driving efficiencies throughout the organization” and maintains a collaborative relationship with the Ministry of Health and Ontario Health. “We continue to work with our government partners to review our budget and address current deficit projections,” the statement continues. “We will also continue to advocate for sustainable funding that supports the needs of our patients and community. Our focus remains on delivering high-quality, safe care for the residents we serve.” Province calls report’s claims ‘misguided’ In a statement, the province said the claims made in the CCPA report are “misguided.” According to a Ford government spokesperson, the province is investing more than $101 billion into healthcare this year, including a fourth consecutive four per cent increase in hospital funding. According to the provincial government, funding for Windsor Regional Hospital has risen more than 35 per cent since 2018. The province said it has added more than 100,000 nurses and nearly 20,000 physicians since 2018, while reducing emergency department visits and maintaining high rates of on-time surgeries. The government also pointed to more than 50 hospital redevelopment projects, expanded pharmacist care, and a plan to connect every Ontarian with a primary care provider by 2029. In Windsor-Essex, the province has previously pointed to the future Fancsy Family Hospital as part of its long-term plan to improve health care in the region. The planned hospital is expected to include a new emergency department, inpatient beds, trauma services, and cancer care. Longhurst said new infrastructure is important, but argued new buildings alone will not address hospital pressures without enough staff and operating funding. “Facilities don’t staff themselves,” he said.
