By Staff
November 25th, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
On Monday the Premier was at Joseph Brant Hospital to announce significant funding for new Mental Health services. Millions is to be made available.
Hospital rendering showing the original hospital with the additions.
On Wednesday workers at Joseph Brant Hospital will be holding a rally at noon to protest the elimination of 10 positions they say will negatively impact patient care.
CUPE 1065, the union representing workers at the hospital, says the hospital can’t afford cuts to frontline positions amidst a staffing crisis, which is already impacting quality of patient care and workforce morale.
Michael Hurley, president of CUPE’s Ontario Council of Hospital Unions (OCHU-CUPE), which represents about 50,000 staff across the province, said the union is noticing an alarming pattern of staffing cuts at multiple hospitals in Ontario because of government underfunding – an unacceptable development considering the 2,000 patients waiting on stretchers in hospital hallways for beds and the 250,000 people waiting for surgeries in Ontario.
What’s also interesting Daintry, if you watched the final 2025 budget meeting this morning with the Marsdens delegating, is that Burlington is still paying an annual levy to the Joseph Brant Hospital – a continuation of the 2012 funding commitment associated with construction of the new hospital wing/facilities. This annual commitment will continue until 2028 I believe and is for the purchase of new hospital equipment. There are no qualifications or restrictions attached to the annual tax levy “gift” nor is it audited by COB. Indeed, it is akin to an “unconditional grant” – a practice that the Province and most levels of government have wisely discontinued some time ago. And in a somewhat baffling expression of governance and stewardship “laissez faire”, Council has agreed that they no longer need representation on the hospital’s Board of Directors. Apparently, when Vandewall says “trust us”, they absolutely do. I wonder if Councillor Sharman, who challenged the Marsdens for raising issues with the levy, would have been comfortable when he led a private sector auditing practice recommending this type of arrangement to a client?
Lee Neant,
Healthcare is the responsibility of the Provincial government! Taxpayers pay a “Healthcare Tax” to the provincial government through their yearly Tax Returns. What is the Ford government doing with this money??
The City of Burlington needs to stay in their “own lane” and Stop burdening Burlington Taxpayers with items and charges that are Not our responsibility!!
The next Municipal Election in October 2026 can’t come soon enough!!
Yes Caren. The Jo Brant tax levy was not the product of this Council but of the previous group of seven, although both Meed Ward and Sharman were members. My point is simply that there is neither due diligence exercised around the annual grant of a great deal of “our money” nor transparency. There is indeed but one taxpayer – although many eager hands in his or her pockets.
It is interesting that this Provincial Government seems to have money for construction – hospitals, schools and long-term care facilities but there isn’t enough money to properly staff the buildings. Then there are roads and transit systems also receiving taxpayer dollars.