![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.ontariohealthcoalition.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/michael-and-peter-300x225.jpg\")
<\/p>\n(August 8, 2019)<\/p>\n
By: Andrew Graham, Global News<\/p>\n
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Michael Hurley, left, president for the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions and Canadian Union of Public Employees, and Peter Bergmanis, co-chair of the London Health Coalition.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n A new report suggests Ontario has the most underfunded healthcare system in Canada and billions in additional cuts may be required to reach savings targets outlined by the province\u2019s 2019 budget.<\/span><\/p>\n Tilted \u201cProtecting What Matters Most,\u201d the report from the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions (OCHU) and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) draws on\u00a0<\/span>findings from the province\u2019s independent Financial Accountability Office (FAO)<\/span>\u00a0and focuses on the Doug Ford government\u2019s 2019 budget with the same name.<\/span><\/p>\n At just under $10,000 allotted per person, Ontario currently has the lowest provincial government program spending per capita in Canada. That amount is also more than $2,000 less per person than the national average, the report says.<\/span><\/p>\n The report also suggests that the Ontario government will need an additional $5.2 billion in cuts to health care in order to reach savings targets outlined in the 2019 budget by the 2023-2024 year.<\/span><\/p>\n During a debriefing of the report in London, Ont., on Thursday, co-chair of the London Health Coalition Peter Bergmanis told reporters the funding shortfalls are the result of a tragedy that\u2019s a been unfolding for quite some time.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAfter ten years of austerity with the Liberal government, it was hoping for a breath of fresh air for the government that claims to be for the people,\u201d Bergmanis said.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cEven their promises of more long-term care beds are insufficient. They aren\u2019t going to deal with the growing and aging population need in any of the communities that we\u2019re aware of.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Other funding shortfalls mean Ontario has 31.2 per cent less inpatient days per 1,000 population compared to the rest of Canada, according to the report.<\/span><\/p>\n