LONDON — MPP for Guelph Mike Schreiner released the following statement in response to warnings that emergency rooms in rural northeastern Ontario are at high risk of closure this fall.
“The warnings we’re hearing about looming ER closures in Northern Ontario are deeply troubling – and they’re yet another stark sign of a healthcare system permanently on the brink of collapse.
Northerners shouldn’t have to worry about whether they’ll be able to access emergency care when and where they need it.
They need a government that sees the value in accessible emergency care for the North. Not one that underspends at every opportunity and sells off public services to private profiteers.
I support calls from the Ontario College of Family Physicians for enhanced locum program funding to prevent fall closures, and for increased investment in recruitment programs to bring much-needed doctors to the North.
I’ll continue pushing the government to implement a real plan to ensure fair wages, benefits and working conditions for all healthcare workers.”