MEDIA ADVISORY: New report shows hospital spending on for-profit agencies shot up by 114% over 10 years in Ontario’s South West region: media conference in Stratford on May 23

Event Information

Begins: 23 May 2025
Location: Stratford, ON

STRATFORD, 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 May 23, Andrew Longhurst, will reveal hospital spending increase on agency staff relative to employed staff for the South West region, which includes Stratford, London, Bruce, Elgin, Huron, Middlesex, Perth, Oxford, Grey and Norfolk County.

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 provide recommendations to address the hospital staffing crisis.

WHEN:
10:00 a.m. on Friday, May 23

WHERE:
Stratford Public Library,19 St. Andrew Street Stratford, Ontario N5A 1A2

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), representing 50,000 Ontario hospital and long-term care employees

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For more information, please contact:

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