MEDIA ADVISORY: New report shows hospital spending on for-profit agencies shot up by 181% in Ontario’s South East region over 10 years: media conference in Picton on Friday at 1:30 p.m.

Event Information

Begins: 16 May 2025
Location: Picton, ON

PICTON, ON –(COMMUNITYWIRE)– The staffing crisis stemming from chronic underfunding of Ontario’s hospitals has fueled a dramatic growth in the usage of for-profit staffing agencies to the tune of $9.2 billion, according to a new research study by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

Drawing on data obtained from multiple sources including Ontario hospitals’ financial documents, Hollowed Out: Ontario public hospitals and the rise of private staffing agencies takes a deep dive into the intersection between insufficient hospital funding and the proliferation of staffing agencies across the 14 regions of the province.

On Friday afternoon, Andrew Longhurst, will reveal hospital spending increases on agency staff relative to employed staff for the South East region, which includes Picton, Kingston, Belleville, and Bancroft.

Longhurst will be joined by Michael Hurley, the president of CUPE’s hospital division, to reveal detailed findings from the in-depth research report as well as recommendations to address the hospital staffing crisis.

WHEN:
1:30 p.m. on Friday, May 16

WHERE:
Picton Public Library, 208 Main St W, Picton, ON

WHAT:
Media conference to release findings of new research report

WHO:
Andrew Longhurst, research associate with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and author of the new report.
Michael Hurley, president, Ontario Council of Hospital Unions, OCHU/CUPE since 1990 representing 50,000 Ontario hospital employees.

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For more information, please contact:

Zee Noorsumar, CUPE Communications
znoorsumar@cupe.ca
647-995-9859