August 5th, 2022

Employment numbers show how deep health care crisis runs

5,400 fewer health care and social services workers in Ontario than a year ago – and the losses are accelerating

LONDON — New numbers from Statistics Canada show Ontario has thousands fewer health care workers than a year ago, and they’re working more overtime than any other point in the last 25 years.

“Every health care worker in Ontario, and anyone who has needed to go to the ER or is waiting for surgery knows how deep the health care crisis runs,” said NDP MPP Terence Kernaghan (London North Centre), the Official Opposition critic for Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade.

“The price people are paying — the long, painful waits and the awful hallway medicine — is the price of underfunding health care, and underpaying and disrespecting health care workers.”

According to the Statistics Canada’s Labour Force survey for July, the number of health care and social services workers in Ontario is down by 5,400 people compared to July last year. There are 3,400 fewer of them just compared to the previous month — showing that the losses are accelerating.

That’s why nurses are working more overtime than any point in 25 years. Canada-wide, the Labour Force Survey shows 21.6 per cent of nurses were paid overtime hours in July.