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News Archive


Is pharmacare on ice? Health minister says no new deals with provinces in the works
Carney government's recent budget missing cash for nationwide expansion Marina von Stackelberg · CBC News · Posted: Nov 21, 2025 Only B.C., Manitoba, P.E.I. and Yukon have signed deals with the federal government to have contraceptive and diabetes medication paid for by Ottawa. With just four pharmacare deals, only about 17 per cent of the Canadian population is covered. (Amber Bracken/The Canadian Press) Canada’s public pharmacare program appears to be in limbo, with the fed

Marina von Stackelberg
8 hours ago


Study links health-care privatization with higher mortality rates
CBC News | 20 Nov 2025 A new analysis from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives looked at 25 countries and found those with more privatized health care fared worse on seven mortality indicators. The report comes as several provinces pursue privatizing some health-care services. Mortality and health care privatization: A comparison between countries Written by Anne Plourde , Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives "The main finding of this analysis is unequivocal: there

Waterloo Region Health Coalition
13 hours ago


Ontario's new residency rule dashes hopes of internationally trained doctor
He was the cream of the crop of medical graduates in India. When he came to Ottawa, the geriatric specialist was left applying for jobs at Tim Hortons. By Elizabeth Payne Published Nov 18, 2025 Ashok Kumar Biswas is an internationally trained doctor with a lot of experience who has been volunteering and working toward applying to be a resident in Ontario. A recent rule change that makes it harder for international physicians to apply has dashed his hopes. Photo by TONY CALDWE

Elizabeth Payne
4 days ago


Three lessons Canada can learn from Australia’s healthcare system
A recent international comparison of healthcare systems ranked Australia as the top performer—Canada was ranked seventh. Jason M. Sutherland 11/11/2025 Creator: AlexLMX | Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto Emergency department closures. Long wait times for surgeries and specialist appointments. Millions of Canadians without a primary healthcare provider . Healthcare systems across Canada are struggling to provide timely and equitable access to healthcare services—at a time w

Jason M. Sutherland
5 days ago


Comparing private and public surgery models in England, Scotland could inform Canada, experts say
CBC News: The National 11 Nov 2025 Video Length 2:10 minutes As some Canadian provinces outsource certain surgeries to for-profit clinics, new research comparing the models in England and Scotland suggests shifting to private clinics can lead to longer wait times, reduced hospital capacity and increased inequality to access to care.

CBC News
Nov 13


Budget signals lower increases to health transfers, end of funding deals
The signal from the budget is that health transfers, social transfers, equalizations — those things are not going to change. There’s no room for negotiation.

Sarah Ritchie
Nov 12


What the federal budget 2025 means for public health care
Canada cannot afford to not invest in public health care. Carney's first budget, released on Nov. 4, has money for hospitals and beds but fails to support the retention of health care workers.

Canadian Health Coalition
Nov 10


Join In the Fight to Stop Ontario’s Ford Government from Privatizing Our Health Care Services
The Canada Health Act bans user fees and extra-billing, but it only works if we demand that the federal government enforces it so that provinces that violate the bans are shamed into coming back into compliance.

Doug Draper
Nov 10


Open Letter of Thanks from Natalie Mehra
More than 160 people filled the Public Galleries to watch the Opposition ask the Health Minister and Premier why their government has done nothing to investigate the formal complaint that we filed last June with 50 patients who were extra-billed in private clinics.

Waterloo Region Health Coalition
Nov 4


A Toronto-area doctor spent 10 days caring for a dying baby without pay. Here’s why she’s speaking up
When the OHIP claim for a newborn dying at a Toronto-area hospital was rejected, Dr. Jane Healey faced a difficult choice: forgo her pay or ask the grieving parents to go stand in line at Service Ontario.

Naama Weingarten
Nov 4


After Doug Ford's 'call me' line, Ontario sees surge in Quebec doctor applications
It began as a light-hearted quip.
“Call 1-800-Doug Ford … doctors, come see us,” Ontario Premier Doug Ford told Quebec physicians frustrated by the Legault government’s new doctor-compensation law.

Harry North
Nov 1


Patients demand Ford government reimburse wrongful charges at Ford’s private clinics: more than 160 people join Day of Action at Ontario Legislature
Extra-billing and user fees are banned under the Canada Health Act and Ontario’s Public Medicare protection laws, yet increasingly, the private clinics are charging patients with impunity, the Ontario Health Coalition reports.

Ontario Health Coalition
Oct 31


‘Call 1-800-DOUG-FORD!’: Ontario premier ready to welcome Quebec doctors fleeing Bill 2
With anger brewing next door over Bill 2, Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he’s ready to “roll out the red carpet” for disgruntled Quebec doctors looking to move to a different province.

Canadian Healthcare Network
Oct 31


New report shows 7,200 nurses could be cut in Ontario due to underfunding, on the heels of 13 layoffs announced in North Bay
If the Ford government fails to improve health-care funding, 7,263 nurses could be cut by 2027-28, further worsening Ontario’s number of nurses per capita.

Ontario Nurses' Association
Oct 30


Ontario to boost home care funding by nearly $1B
Finance minister says funding increase will free up hospital beds Allison Jones · The Canadian Press · Posted: Oct 27, 2025 12:01 PM EDT Ontario Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy announced the province will be increasing home care funding by $1 billion over three years, which he says amounts to an 8% funding increase. (The Canadian Press) Ontario Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy has announced that as part of the upcoming fall economic statement, the province will be in

Allison Jones
Oct 27


Ontario hospitals told to find savings; ministry doesn't rule out service cuts
Service reductions and bed closures will be considered only if lower-risk measures exhausted: ministry Allison Jones · The Canadian Press · Posted: Oct 20, 2025 2:03 PM EDT Ontario's Ministry of Health tasked hospitals to plan to balance their budgets within three years, assuming annual funding increases of two per cent — half of what they have received in recent years. (Patrick Morrell/CBC News) Ontario's Ministry of Health has tasked hospitals struggling with deficits to co

Allison Jones
Oct 21


Demand the Federal Government enforce the Canada Health Act in Ontario where Ford is violating it with his private clinics
2025-10-20 | Ontario Health Coalition Please share widely OHC ACTION ALERT Sign the petition and get as many signatures as we can before the deadline The Canada Health Act is like a bill of rights for patients. It protects us against privatization by banning user fees, extra-billing of patients (billing OHIP and charging patients on top) and two-tier medicare where the rich buy care and middle income earners, seniors, and low income earners get pushed back, or have to go with

Ontario Health Coalition
Oct 21


Fill the Legislature Galleries on Wed Oct 29 to stop private clinics charging patients
At stake is our public medicare, health services and funding in our local public hospitals. Don’t let Ford destroy them.

Waterloo Region Health Coalition
Oct 19


More Chaos for Ontario Health Athome Workers as Employer Reverses Freeze on their Return to Work Order Less Than a Day After Announcing it was on Hold
CUPE Ontario October 14, 2025 Toronto – Yesterday, Ontario Health at Home announced that it was reconsidering the timeline for its four-day-a-week, return-to-office plan — a clear response to the growing pressure from CUPE members who spoke out together. But less than 24 hours later, at 2 p.m. today, the employer issued another memo reversing course and announcing that staff will now be expected to return to the office beginning October 20. This is a complete contradiction

CUPE Ontario
Oct 14


Ontario hospitals say they have $1 billion in funding needs
Hospitals struggling to bring in more money without hitting patients' pocketbooks, association says Allison Jones · The Canadian Press · Posted: Oct 08, 2025 'Hospitals are facing kind of a multitude of complex challenges,' says Melissa Prokopy with the Ontario Hospital Association. The organization is asking the province to increase funding for hospitals in the province to cover a $1 billion deficit. (Nicole Osborne/The Canadian Press) Ontario hospitals need an additional $1

Allison Jones
Oct 13
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