There is only ONE healthcare workforce in Ontario. And when Doug Ford pours money into private for-profit healthcare delivery, it affects all healthcare workers universally.
In Ontario, privatization of public medicare continues full on with more and more of our public money going to for profit corporations delivering American-style healthcare – more expensive and less reliable. Doug Ford is investing heavily in expensive private, for-profit providers in long-term care, nurse practitioner clinics, cataracts, knee and hip surgeries, MRIs and diagnostics, and more. These are being favored as our publicly funded, less expensive hospital operating rooms, radiology clinics, and diagnostic equipment sit unused, underutilized, and understaffed.
After investigations by the Ontario Health Coalition, we know private for-profit clinics for cataract surgeries in Ontario are charging elderly Ontarians hundreds and thousands of dollars for additional services, making profit while charging patients and the government for the same thing. The Government of Ontario is expanding this privatization even further as some surgeries and procedures will no longer be available from public providers and only through for-profit corporations.
In Alberta, Bill 11 The Health Statues Amendment Act is the single most brazen attack on public medicare and the Canada Health Act, ever. Premier Danielle Smith is permitting the creation of private for-profit health insurance in Alberta where physicians and other healthcare providers can charge patients directly for services and prioritize patients who pay. Physicians will have the ability to set prices for healthcare, choose who they treat, and prioritize patients based on what they pay. The focus in a system like this is on profit, not on healthier outcomes.
The Carney federal government has chosen not to intervene in either case with the Minister of Health refusing to meeting with Canadian Health Coalition allies in support of public healthcare. Over that time, the Minister has met with healthcare company lobbyists over 50 times, but not once with OPSEU/SEFPO and NUGPE allies in support of our public Medicare.
OPSEU/SEFPO calls allies together to stand elbows up against American style healthcare in Canada. We don’t want it here.
See more from our allies at the Ontario Health Coalition:
- One page briefing note on Ford’s privatization and Bill 11
- Long briefing note
- Ontario Health Coalition website
Upcoming Meetings and Events Across Ontario
Local Rallies on Monday March 16: Don’t let them destroy Canadian public health care
Alberta’s Danielle Smith government passed a new law to end universal public health care & bring in U.S. style privatization.
Public health care across Canada is at unprecedented risk.
Call on our federal Liberal MPs to help us stand up to them, enforce the Canada Health Act & save public health care.
Rallies are being held in Ontario as follows:
Ajax, 12 pm EST
MP Jennifer McKelvie’s office
100 Old Kingston Rd
Waterloo, 1 pm EST
The Hon Bardish Chagger’s office
100 Regina St S
Toronto, 4:30 pm EST
MP Julie Dzerowicz’s office
1202 Bloor St W
Hamilton, 11 am EST
MP Aslam Rana’s office
25 Charlton Ave E
London, 11 am EST
The Hon Arielle Kayabaga’s office
390 Commissioners Road W
Kingston, *Fri, Mar 20* 12 pm – 1 pm ESTThe Hon Mark Gerretsen’s office
234 Concession St
Ottawa, 12 pm EST
PM Mark Carney’s constituency office, 240 Kennevale Dr
Niagara Health Coalition Trivia Night
How about a night out? Friday March 13 is Trivia Night at the Welland Legion. It’s a lot of fun – bring a friend or a group. Snacks, pizza, penny table, silent auction. Brian Barker does an excellent job. Tickets are $25.00.
For more information or to order a ticket, please email: [email protected] or call/text 905-932-1646.
Local Health Coalition Regular Planning Meetings
Everyone is welcome to join regular local health coalition planning meetings, where discussions on local and provincial public health care take place. They are listed below for the next month.
Thunder Bay Health Coalition Monthly Meeting
Wednesday March 11 7 pm ET via Zoom
For more information and Zoom link, please contact Jules Tupker at [email protected]
Windsor Essex Health Coalition Online Meeting
Thursday March 12 7 pm via Zoom
For more information, to reserve your spot and receive the Zoom link, please email the Windsor Essex Health Coalition at [email protected]
Sarnia Lambton Health Coalition Online Meeting
Friday March 13 7 pm via Zoom
For more information and the Zoom link, please contact June Weiss at [email protected]
*CORRECTION* Greater Toronto Health Coalition Online Meeting
Tuesday March 17 6:30 pm via Zoom
For more information and Zoom link, please contact the Greater Toronto Health Coalition at [email protected]
Mississauga Health Coalition Online Meeting
Monday March 16 7 pm via Zoom
For more information and the Zoom link, please contact the Mississauga Health Coalition at [email protected]
Kingston Health Coalition Monthly Meeting
Wednesday March 18 7 pm via Zoom
For more information and the Zoom link, please contact the Kingston Health Coalition at [email protected]
Durham Region Health Coalition Monthly Meeting
Wednesday March 25 7 pm via Zoom
For more information and Zoom link, please contact Pam Parks at [email protected]
Hamilton Health Coalition Monthly Meeting
Monday March 30 5 pm at USW Local 1005 Hall, 350 Kenilworth Ave. N., 1st floor boardroom, Hamilton
For more information, please contact Janina Lebon at [email protected]
Better Medicare Health Summit
Organized by Canadian Doctors for Medicare
Canadian Doctors for Mediare are excited to announce the Better Medicare Health Summit: one look back and twenty leaps forward, as CDM celebrates 20 years of strengthening and preserving Canada’s publicly funded health care system.
We have seen major victories – from a 14-year legal battle against Cambie Surgeries Corporation to confronting powerful pharmaceutical and private insurance interests as we advanced Pharmacare and reinforced the Canada Health Act through the Interpretation Letter . There is much work ahead to transform our health care system, but the solutions lie in strengthening our public system, not weakening it.
At the Better Medicare Health Summit, we will explore the future of Medicare in Canada, scalable solutions to transform primary care, the growing risks posed by for-profit care and the private insurance industry, public solutions to address health care wait times, the importance of enforcing the Canada Health Act, and much more.
Friday March 27 from 9 am – 5 pm
Cecil Community Centre – 58 Cecil St, Toronto
Tickets and more information can be found here: https://www.canadiandoctorsformedicare.ca/2026_better_medicare_health_summit
Study examining the primary care preferences of South Asian-origin communities
Organized by the Wellesley Institute
The research project aims to understand primary care preference of South Asian-origin communities across Ontario. They are conducting focus groups with individuals who have lived experience to understand their preferences in primary care, identify opportunities for improvement, and make recommendations that help enhance primary care to better meet communities’ needs.
If you are interested in participating in this study or would like to learn more, please contact Yu-Ling Yin, Co-Principal Investigator, who is leading recruitment and focus groups for South Asian-origin communities: [email protected] or 416-972-1010 ext. 257