TORONTO, ON., June 27, 2025 – The Ontario Nurses’ Association (ONA) sees right through the very thin veil of the Ford government’s announcement today that adds more than $155 million to private health-care clinics.
“Premier Ford is trying bring in American-style health care to Ontario by increasing the role of private, for-profit corporations at the expense of our public system,” says ONA Provincial President Erin Ariss, RN. “The $155 million to expand private clinics is a major red flag Ontarians should be very concerned about. We don’t want our tax dollars being used to line the pockets of corporate interests.”
Ontario has more than 900 private clinics providing for-profit care. “While our public health-care system continues to be intentionally underfunded by the Ford government, people who can pay for health services out of pocket can easily jump the long wait times,” notes Ariss. “For-profit facilities can discretely choose who to treat so the for-profit health-care bosses can reject patients with multiple, severe and expensive-to-treat conditions.”
Premier Ford should be focused on appropriately funding the public health-care system, rather than cater to private interests looking to make money on the back of taxpayers, concluded Ariss. “Creating additional private, for-profit clinics outside of the public system will further strain nurses and health-care professionals and lead to more widespread closures of emergency departments and operating rooms.”
ONA is the union representing more than 68,000 registered nurses and health-care professionals, as well as 18,000 nursing student affiliates, providing care in hospitals, long-term care facilities, public health, the community, clinics and industry.
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