Ontario Budgets Backgrounders, Fact Sheets & Briefing Notes

BRIEFING NOTE: Health care funding briefing note: putting the fall economic statement in context

(November 2, 2023) Today, the Ford government will release its fall economic statement. This briefing note is intended to give context with which to assess the claims of the government. As we write, Ontario is in the worst health care crisis in memory. The most urgent services in local public hospitals are facing repeated and […]

RELEASE & BRIEFING NOTE: A Critically Important Warning in New Financial Accountability Office Report: Ford Government’s Long-Term Care Plan is a House of Cards

(May 27, 2021) Toronto – The new report on long-term care from Ontario’s Financial Accountability Office “FAO” supports what the Ontario Health Coalition has been warning about and more. In the neutral language of accounting, it highlights that there is no actual plan to fund needed health care services in the Ford government’s budget. It […]

RELEASE: Ontario Budget: Health Coalition is Watching for Sufficient Health Funding, Strings Attached in For-Profit LTC & A Stop to the Ford Government’s Privatization of Health Care

(March 24, 2021) Toronto – The Health Coalition said today that the funding numbers for health care in the budget are going to look huge of course, due to the pandemic, but the Coalition will be watching to make sure that funding is indeed enough. Equally important to the amount of funding, are strings attached […]

RELEASE & BACKGROUNDER: Pre-budget brief: Ontario so far behind that emergency funding just brings us to where we should have been pre-COVID-19

(March 25, 2020) In advance of the Ford government’s economic statement being released this afternoon, the Ontario Health Coalition released an analysis of the numbers to date to give some context to the announcements that are being made regarding COVID-19 health care funding as follows: “We believe that governments are beginning to flow resources and […]

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 […]

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: 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 […]

MYTH BUSTER: Hospital Funding in Ontario Budget 2016

(March 24, 2016) Real-Dollar Cuts Across Ontario Ontario’s Wynne government has been claiming that it has increased public hospital funding this year by 2.1 per cent. This would not be sufficient to meet population growth and health care inflation levels, even were it true. But the truth is that most of Ontario’s hospitals are not […]

ADVISORY: Ontario Budget Watch and Pre-Budget Briefing

(April 22, 2015) Advisory – Ontario Budget Watch: Health Coalition Representatives Available to Respond to Budget *Please see below for Pre-Budget Briefing   (Toronto/Chatham-Kent/Cornwall/Niagara/North Bay/Peterborough/Sault Ste. Marie/Scarborough/Sudbury/Windsor) – Health Coalition representatives will be available to share our responses to and analysis of the Ontario Budget tomorrow after the budget is released.   While the announced plans for […]

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.

BRIEFING NOTE: Today’s Minister of Health Speech on Health Reform

(January 30, 2012) The Ontario Health Coalition’s analysis and response to Minister of Health Deb Matthews two speeches made today at exclusive business and executive audiences to launch a new round of health care reform.

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 …

POWERPOINT PRESENTATION: Is Health Spending Out of Control?

(June 24, 2009) Dr. Gordon Guyatt of McMaster University busts myths about health spending and uses facts to prove that Canadian health spending is stable and that privatization costs more and generates worse health outcomes.

RELEASE: 2008 Ontario Budget: OHC’s Pre-Budget Analysis & Hospital Deficit “Hot Spots” Map

(March 20, 2008) The Ontario Health Coalition released a media briefing note and a map of hospital deficit “hot spots” to watch in advance of Ontario’s budget scheduled for Tuesday.

FACT SHEET: Budget Analysis: Information on how the McGuinty government’s first budget impacts on health care

(May 18, 2004) Provincial budget shows some important rebuilding also some serious flaws: OHC

POWERPOINT PRESENTATION: Pre-Budget Consultations

(February 15, 2004) Powerpoint presentation from the Thunder Bay Health Coalition.

PRESENTATION: Pre-Budget Consultations

(February 11, 2004) Economist Armine Yalnizyan’s presentation.