(May 3, 2016)<\/p>\n
Author: Frank Matys, Orillia Today<\/p>\n
Cuts to beds and jobs at Soldiers\u2019 Memorial Hospital are the focus of a town hall meeting tonight (May 3).<\/p>\n
Jointly hosted by the Ontario Health Coalition and the North Simcoe Muskoka District Labour Council, the meeting takes place at Best Western Mariposa Inn and Conference Centre.<\/p>\n
The two groups will share information and organize a local campaign to save and restore local hospital services.<\/p>\n
\u201cOntario is currently in its ninth consecutive year of real-dollar cuts to global hospital budgets, the longest stretch in Ontario\u2019s history,\u201d organizers said in a statement. \u201cThese cuts mean that hospitals across the province, including Orillia\u2019s, cannot keep up with even basic inflation.\u201d<\/p>\n
The meeting follows an announcement that Soldiers\u2019 will eliminate 16 beds in the face of a $5.9 million shortfall.<\/p>\n
The equivalent of 35 full-time jobs will be impacted as well.<\/p>\n
Tonight\u2019s meeting starts at 7 p.m.<\/p>\n