May 30th, 2022

Horwath teams up with ONA to stop the cuts and hire nurses

TORONTO – NDP Leader Andrea Horwath has teamed up with President Cathryn Hoy and the Ontario Nurses’ Association to stop the cuts, and fix health care.

After decades of cuts to health care by Conservative and Liberal governments, Horwath has committed to hiring 30,000 more nurses. One part of Horwath’s plan to do that is to retain experienced late-career nurses by creating a new type of nursing job in Ontario — a role to mentor and supervise less experienced nurses.

“I’m standing with nurses and with ONA because we know, together, we can fix health care. We can stop the cuts, stop nurse burnout, and help people get world-class care much faster,” said Horwath. “Just imagine what a difference it will make. When you take your little one to the ER, there will be someone there to take a look right away. The painful and frustrating wait for procedures will end quicker.

“Fixing health care and getting folks the quality care they deserve starts with giving nurses and frontline workers the respect they deserve. This election is our shot to do that.”

Horwath and the NDP will respect nurses and shore up health care by:

  • Hiring 30,000 nurses to bring Ontario up to the national average.
  • Creating new jobs for late-career and recently retired nurses to mentor and supervise new staff.
  • Repealing Bill 124, Ford’s wage-cut law, and restoring nurses’ rights.
  • Phasing out for-profit long-term care and home care, so everyone can access high quality care when and where they need it.
  • Take the pressure off hospitals with universal mental health care and public dental care.

Ontario has lost over 7,300 nurses in the last decade, and currently has the lowest ratio of RNs in Canada.

“The Liberals froze hospital funding and cut 1,600 nurses. And Doug Ford’s cuts are only making things worse. The $2.7 billion in more cuts he has planned will gut our health care system,” said Horwath. “I want everyone to know it doesn’t have to be this way. On June 2, we can come together an elect an NDP government that will stop the cuts and finally fix health care.”

media@ontariondp.ca