Media Advisory - Town Hall Meeting Called in Response to Devastating Hospital Cuts in Toronto and the GTA

TORONTO, April 26, 2016 /CNW/ - Toronto's hospitals are facing significant cuts to staff and services. Already this year, the University Health Network (Toronto General and Toronto Western sites), Mount Sinai Hospital and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health have cut more than 100 registered nursing positions along with the hands-on patient care they provide. Humber River Regional Hospital has cut or closed multiple hospital sites, and people in the affected communities are forced to travel further to access care. Hospitals all across Toronto and the GTA are plagued by serious overcrowding. This is beyond troubling – this is a hospital cuts crisis.

Ontario is currently in the ninth consecutive year of real-dollar cuts to global hospital budgets, the longest stretch in Ontario's history. These cuts mean that hospitals across the province, including Toronto's, cannot keep up even with basic inflation. Hopitals have been cut to the point of dangerous overcrowding and understaffing and patients are paying the price. The Toronto Health Coalition and Ontario Health Coalition will host a town hall meeting on April 27 to share information and organize a local campaign to save and restore local hospital services.

When:          Wednesday, April 27, 7 p.m.

Where:        United Steelworkers Hall, 25 Cecil St., Toronto

What:           Community Town Hall Meeting – Open to public.

Who:           Toronto Health Coalition & Ontario Health Coalition.

SOURCE Ontario Health Coalition

Carolyn Egan, Toronto Health Coalition, 416-806-7985; Natalie Mehra, executive director, Ontario Health Coalition, 416-441-2502 (office), 416-230-6402 (cell)