CUPE report reveals hospital staffing, capacity issues in Ontario

A new report from Canada’s largest union paints an alarming picture of the state of Ontario’s hospitals.

CUPE has released a new report on hospital staffing and capacity challenges in Ontario hospitals.

It cites data from Statistics Canada and the Canadian Institute for Health Information to illustrate what it calls “troubling tends” in the sector, including in Hamilton – namely, an increase in vacancies and overcrowding.

CUPE says the current situation will only get worse as our population continues to age.

It’s calling on the Ford government to hire about 3,300 and 50 staff, and add 473 beds at HHS and St. Joe’s over the next four years.

A spokesperson for the Minister of Health said the government has increased the health care budget by over $16 billion since 2018.

“Our government is expanding capacity across the province, getting shovels in the ground for 50 hospital developments over 10 years that will add over 3,000 beds, to connect Ontarians to the care they need now and into the future. This includes a $20 million investment in Hamilton Health Services (HHS) to add nearly 100 inpatient beds,” the spokesperson said.