01112024 January 11 2024

CHAPLEAU EXPRESS

Local News Weekly

Free to Every Household

705 - 864 - 2785

705 - 864 - 0911

Vol. 28, Issue 18, January 11, 2024

École secondaire catholique Trillium to offer Open House event

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rade 8 students and their parents are invited to take part in École secondaire catholique Trillium's Open House event on Thursday, January 18, at 6:30 p.m., at the school located at 9 Broomhead Street in Chapleau.

As part of this activity, students will be offered a tour of the school and will have the chance to get to know the teachers. They will also meet high school students recognized for their leadership as well as become familiar with the various programs and activities offered by the

school. École secondaire catholique Trillium offers a French-language Catholic educational program recognized for its excellence and innovation. The school allows students to acquire a high level of bilingualism and to receive top quality education that will prepare them to pursue all post-secondary destinations. CSC Nouvelon secondary schools have the highest graduation rate in Northern Ontario.

The Conseil scolaire catholique Nouvelon

offers a French-language Catholic Educational Program that is widely recognized for its excellence. The CSC Nouvelon provides a quality learning environment and academic program that runs from early childhood to adult education, with some 5,650 students enrolled in 27 elementary and 10 secondary schools.

For more information on the open house event or to register for high school, please call École secondaire catholique Trillium at 705-8641211

Soirée portes ouvertes à l'école secondaire catholique Trillium

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es élèves de la 8e année ainsi que leurs parents sont invités à participer à la soirée portes ouvertes de l'école secondaire catholique Trillium du Conseil scolaire catholique Nouvelon le jeudi 18 janvier, à 18 h 30, à l'école située au 9, rue Broomhead à Chapleau.

Dans la cadre de cette activité, les élèves auront droit à une visite de l'école et à une présentation qui leur permettra de connaitre les membres du personnel enseignant. Ils pourront aussi rencontrer des élèves du secondaire reconnus pour leur leadership et prendre connaissance des divers programmes et activités offerts par Long Term l'école.

Forecast L ' é c o l e Thursday High -10 secondaire catholique Low -11 Trillium offre une Friday éducation catholique High -3 et francophone de Low -12 qualité reconnue pour

son innovation et son excellence. L'école permet aux élèves d'acquérir un haut niveau de bilinguisme et de recevoir une formation hors pair qui les prépare à poursuivre leurs études vers l'une des nombreuses destinations postsecondaires. Les écoles secondaires du CSC Nouvelon ont le meilleur taux de diplomation dans le Nord de l'Ontario.

Le Conseil scolaire catholique Nouvelon offre une éducation catholique de l an g u e f r an ça i s e r e c o n n u e p o u r s o n excellence. Avec près de 5 650 élèves répartis dans un réseau de 27 écoles élémentaires et 10 écoles secondaires, le CSC Nouvelon offre un milieu propice à l'apprentissage et un programme éducatif de qualité, de la petite enfance à l'âge adulte.

Pour obtenir plus d'information sur la soirée portes ouvertes ou pour procéder à l'inscription au secondaire, veuillez communiquer avec l'école secondaire catholique Trillium au 705-864-1211.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Saturday High -8 Low -9

Sunday High -5 Low -11 Monday High -7 Low -10 Tuesday High -4 Low -7

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CHAPLEAU EXPRESS, January 11, 2024- Page 2

Ontario Connecting More Youth to Mental Health Services in Algoma District

New Youth Wellness Hub Providing Care Closer to Home The Ontario government is making it faster and easier for young people to connect to mental health and substance use support by launching a new Youth Wellness Hub in Sault Ste. Marie to serve the Algoma District and surrounding areas.

This is one of the eight new hubs the government is adding to the 14 already created since 2020, bringing the total to 22 across the province.

“Expanding our network of Youth Wellness Hubs is another step our government is taking to ensure Ontarians of all ages have convenient access to the highest-quality mental health and addictions supports, when and where they need them,” said Michael Tibollo, Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. “We will continue to invest in mental health and addictions care as part of the ongoing rollout of the Roadmap to Wellness, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to fix the longstanding issues facing the sector once and for all.”

In Algoma District, youth aged 12 to 25 and their families can visit the hub to connect to convenient and free mental health, substance use and primary care services in a safe, welcoming, youth-friendly space. Young people can drop in for counselling or peer support, book an appointment or access services virtually. There are also supports to help connect and support youth that have more specialized and intensive care needs to the right supports and services in the community, such as safe beds for detox.

“Our government is continuing to take action to improve mental health services for communities across Ontario, and support patients and families living with mental health and

addictions challenges,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “As we continue to expand the number of Youth Wellness Hubs across the province, young people in Algoma will receive faster and easier access to the mental health care they need, in one convenient location, closer to home.”

With Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care, the government is significantly expanding the number of Youth Wellness Hubs across the province to make it faster and easier for young people to connect to mental health and substance use support, primary care, social services, and more.

The Algoma Youth Wellness Hub is located at 124 Dennis Street, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. To see the hub’s monthly schedule of events, please visit: www.algomayouthhub.com.

The eight new Youth Wellness Hubs funded by the Addictions Recovery Fund are located in Algoma Region, Kingston, London-Middlesex, Sagamok Anishnawbek First Nation, SarniaLambton, Sudbury, Toronto Thorncliffe Park and West Toronto.

In 2023, the government also announced additional funding to expand pediatric services in communities across the province, which will support five additional Youth Wellness Hubs to help fill the gap in youth addictions services.

In 2020, Ontario released a strategy to build a world-class mental health and addictions

OBITUARY Donald “Don” Card Passed away suddenly at the Chapleau Health Services on Wednesday December 20, 2023 at the age of 73 years. Beloved husband of Carmelle for 43 years. Predeceased by his parents Olive and Lawrence Card, his grandparents William & Elizabeth Card, Charles & Louise Schroder and his infant sister Kendra. Don will be lovingly remembered by his sisters-in-law Thérèse Laframboise, (Tom) of Thunder Bay, Pauline Dillon (Michael) of Chapleau and Andrée McGilvery (Glen) of Kingston. Don will be especially missed by his many nieces, nephews, friend and clients. He was a member of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #5 for 49 years, a member of the Oddfellows, Missinabie Lodge #226 and he was a very devoted fan of the Boston Bruins. Cremation has taken place at River's Edge Cremation Centre, Sault Ste. Marie. There will be no services at this time. A graveside service will be held on Friday June 28, 2024 (time to be announced closer to the date). Memorial donations made to the Canadian Cancer Society, the Ontario Heart and Stroke Foundation or to the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #5, Chapleau would be greatly appreciated. (Arrangements entrusted to the Kerry Funeral Home Ltd., Wawa, 1-800-439-4937). www.kerryfuneralhome.ca

system – Roadmap to Wellness: A Plan to Build Ontario’s Mental Health and Addictions System.

Supported by a commitment to invest $3.8 billion over 10 years, Roadmap is adding capacity to meet demand, filling gaps in the care continuum, and creating a provincial infrastructure for a mental health and addictions continuum of care that connects primary, community, and acute care to better wrap around the needs of people with mental health and addictions issues.

In Budget 2023, Ontario is building on its historic $3.8 billion investment by providing an additional $425 million over three years. This investment will provide community-based mental health and addictions service providers funded by the Ministry of Health with a five per cent increase in base funding.

Since 2019-20, the government has flowed $525 million in new base funding for mental health and addictions services and supports. This funding is supporting a range of services, including child and youth mental health, community-based addictions services, supportive housing, mental health and justice, and Indigenous mental health and addictions.

CHAPLEAU EXPRESS, January 11, 2024- Page 3

Chapleau 1976: laughter at high school, comic athletic Chapleau prowess, ball hockey squeakers and the circus tent Moments by

Michael J. Morris Jamie Thibault, who was president of the Students Council at Chapleau High School in 1976-77, reflected on the importance of laughter as part of everyday life at the school when he was attending it in the Seventies.

Writing in the souvenir newspaper for the school's 75th anniversary in 1997, Jamie says that while laughter was never really given the respect it should have received, "it was a something, a quality perhaps, that everyone possessed whether they were aware of it or not."

Reflecting on his high school days Jamie still heard laughter in the hallways, classrooms, gymnasiums, library, on the hill as students told jokes. passed along secrets and pulled pranks amongst one another.

"I hear the comic anecdotes of Mr. (Bryan) Kuehl to drill home a point in his Biology class; I relive the hockey tales from Mr. Morris in Man and Society; I visualize the comical actions that Mr. (Alex) Babin used to illustrate the use of a verb in French class: I hear Mr. (George) Evans using comic relief to get the class through another session of Greek mythology; I hear Mr. (Ross) Hryhorchuk laughing at another display of comic athletic prowess..."

On the 1976-77 CHS Students Council with Jamie were Tom O'Shaughnessy, Willie Date, Tim Morin, Jean Doyle, Francois Tremblay, Elaine Travis, Mike Serre, Joan Payette, and Anne Marie Payette.

Thanks, Jamie, for the memories.

Also, at the high school in 1976, Guy Bazinet was the valedictorian, while recipients of the Ontario Secondary School Honour Graduation Diplomas included Gilles Babineau, Richard Barrer, Guy Bazinet, Heather Beacock, Andre Bedard, Angelo Bucciarelli, Doris Delaney, Russell Deluce, Linda Dingee, Michelina Frattaruolo, Luc Gauthier, Michelle Jacques, Guy Martel, Keith Travis, and Andre Tremblay RECREATION ACTIVITIES UNDERWAY Meanwhile, in the Spring of 1976, recreation activities were getting underway for the summer season.

Little League Baseball was getting underway at Grinton Park, where the Chapleau

Recreation Centre opened in 1978, and with repairs to the field having been completed, under the capable guidance of President Bill Chambers, Chapleau would be hosting the District Four Little League playoffs.

At the beach Paul Richardson would be returning for his second year as the swimming instructor and lifeguard.

Over at the Chapleau Memorial Community Arena, the newly formed men's ball hockey league was getting underway with four teams participating -- Chapleau Lumber, The Hustlers, Ministry of Natural Resources, and the West Side Boys.

In the opening games, the Ministry of Natural Resources squeaked by Ron Larcher's Hustlers, scoring in the dying seconds to win 5-4.

Chapleau Lumber built up a 3-0 lead but couldn't hold it and lost by an identical score to the West Side Boys. I remember attending the ball hockey league games and found them so relaxing after a long winter of coaching the Chapleau Intermediate "A" Huskies in their first season in the Northland Intermediate Hockey League in 1975-76. I sat in the stands and enjoyed the ball hockey games.

75th ANNIVERSARY PLANS FINALIZED In the Spring of 1976, plans were also being finalized for Summerfest and Old Home Week to mark the 75th anniversary of the incorporation of Chapleau as a municipality to be held from July 1 to 4. Led by Festival Chapleau co-ordinator Eileen McCrea, a group of volunteers was working to finalize the activities - and bring the circus tent to town for activities in the beach area.

Manlio Spessot and the Boy Scouts were organizing the canoe and kayak races while Dorleen Collings, who was often fondly called "Chapleau's cook" was planning the menus for the meals that would be provided. Recreation Director Terry Bryson was overseeing all the recreation activities for the celebration.

Plans were also being made for a visit to Chapleau by the Hon. Rene Brunelle, chairman of the provincial cabinet, who would participate in the sod-turning ceremony for Cedar Grove Lodge for Senior Citizens which would be located on the old separate school site on Pine Street. During Senior Citizens Week, the Chapleau Senior Citizens Club saw plans for the new complex and made their comments.

Terry Bryson announced that a picnic for senior citizens would be held during the Old Home Week, while Councillor Ernie Gilbert outlined grants for Senior Citizens centres.

CENTENNIAL MUSEUM OPENS FOR SUMMER Robert Andras, who was the minister of Manpower and Immigration for Canada was in town in June and officially opened the Chapleau Centennial Museum for the summer season by raising a new Canadian flag on behalf of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau.

Under the capable supervision of Dorleen Collings, The Chapleau Sentinel reported that the museum had been a "beehive of activity with flowers blossoming and the fountain "spattered with the pennies of those seeking luck." Inside many displays were being restored. The rock collection, stuffed birds and animals and the famous Rotary table were all in place.

Seems like only yesterday.

CHAPLEAU EXPRESS, January 11, 2024- Page 4

Simple precautions needed to stop rising reports of respiratory and enteric illness Recent increases in respiratory and enteric illnesses have led to several outbreaks being declared in hospital and long-term care and retirement homes that put patients at increased risk of illness. Based on its weekly respiratory illness surveillance, Public Health Sudbury & Districts is also reporting high case activity and very high local hospital activity for respiratory illness, and enteric illnesses have been increasing over the winter months.

“Respiratory illnesses, like COVID-19 and influenza, can affect all of us, but these can lead to much more severe health complications for people in hospitals, long-term care homes, retirement homes, and other congregate care settings,” said Jonathan Groulx, a manager in Public Health’s Health Protection Division. “The very young, elderly, and people with certain medical conditions are at higher risk of worse health outcomes, and each of us can take simple precautions to stop the spread of respiratory and enteric illness and keep our community safe,” said Groulx.

Protect yourself and others, and prevent the spread of illness: -Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly for at least 15 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand rub if your hands are clean and a handwashing

basin is not available.

-Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue and discard used tissues immediately in the garbage and wash your hands.

-If you are at higher risk of severe outcomes from infection, consider wearing a mask in crowded indoor public settings.

-Stay up to date with your COVID-19 vaccinations. The vaccine protects you from severe illness and hospitalization, and builds longer term protection against the virus.

-Get vaccinated for influenza, pneumococcal disease, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) if eligible, and stay up to date with vaccinations.

-Stay home when you are sick. If you must leave your home, for example, for testing or medical care, wear a well-fitted mask.

-Follow the guidelines of any hospitals or longterm care or retirement homes you are visiting regarding masking, handwashing, and avoid visiting residents or patients if not feeling well.

-Public Health works closely with hospitals, long-term care homes, retirement homes, and other congregate care settings to ensure infection prevention and control measures are in place and to help control outbreaks of illness and minimize spread to

KUNUWANIMANO CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES We are seeking an enthusiastic caregiver(s) to join us in this exciting opportunity to create a nurturing home for children and youth in our Community!!

Kunuwanimano means “keeping our own” and we urgently need an alternative caregiver(s) to make this a reality. This home will accommodate up to four (4) children, ages 0 – 16 years of age.

At times capacity may be exceeded for short periods of time. Children are placed in the home at any time of the day or night, at times without advance notice.

We require a reliable, supportive and available caregiver (couple or single parent) for our home in Chapleau, Ontario who be the full time caregiver for the children placed in the home.

COMPENSATION: $275/PER DIEM ($100,375 annually tax free) INCENTIVES: Respite, Training, in home staff support, rent free, furnished, relocation expenses will be paid The successful applicants will be subject to Ministry of Children Community and Social Service Foster Care Licensing Standards.

Further information is available upon request from Ms. Sarah Montrose, Manager Alternative Care Services @ 705-268-9033 ext 1276 inquiries@kunuwanimano.com We encourage all applicants and preference may be given to Indigenous applicants.

people who are most vulnerable.

Public Health publishes weekly information online about local activity levels of respiratory illness, including COVID-19, influenza, and RSV, and posts information about all active outbreaks in the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts related to respiratory and enteric illness.

For more information on respiratory and enteric illness and precautions to take, please visit phsd.ca or call Public Health Sudbury & Districts at 705.522.9200 (toll-free 1.866.522.9200).

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CHAPLEAU EXPRESS, January 11, 2024- Page 5

Simples précautions requises pour arrêter l’augmentation des signalements de maladies respiratoires et entériques La récente hausse des maladies respiratoires et entériques a fait en sorte que plusieurs éclosions ont été déclarées dans les hôpitaux, les foyers de soins de longue durée et les maisons de retraite, ce qui augmente le risque de maladie chez les patients. D’après son tableau de surveillance hebdomadaire des maladies respiratoires, Santé publique Sudbury et districts rapporte aussi énormément de cas et une très forte activité des maladies respiratoires dans les hôpitaux de la région, et les maladies entériques ont augmenté au cours des mois d’hiver. « Les maladies respiratoires, comme la COVID-19 et la grippe, peuvent toucher tout le monde, mais risquent de causer des complications bien plus graves chez les personnes hospitalisées et les pensionnaires des foyers de soins de longue durée, des maisons de

retraite et des autres lieux d’hébergement collectif, a souligné Jonathan Groulx, gestionnaire à la Division de la protection de la santé de Santé publique. Les très jeunes, les aînés et les personnes éprouvant certains problèmes de santé risquent davantage d’avoir les pires problèmes de santé. Chacun et chacune d’entre nous peut prendre de simples précautions pour arrêter la propagation des maladies respiratoires et entériques et garder notre communauté en sécurité », a-t-il ajouté.

Assurez votre protection et celle des autres, et empêchez la maladie de se répandre : -Lavez-vous bien les mains pendant au moins 15 secondes et faites-le souvent ou servez-vous d’un désinfectant pour les mains à base d’alcool si vos mains sont propres et qu’il n’y a pas de lavabos pour se laver les mains.

-Couvrez-vous avec un mouchoir en papier quand vous toussez et vous éternuez et jetez-le immédiatement à la poubelle. Ensuite, lavezvous les mains.

-Si l’infection risque fort d’avoir de graves conséquences dans votre cas, songez à porter un masque dans les lieux publics intérieurs qui sont achalandés.

-Restez à jour en ce qui touche la vaccination contre la COVID-19. Le vaccin vous protège contre la maladie grave et l’hospitalisation et vous procure une protection à plus long terme contre le virus.

-En cas d’admissibilité, faites-vous vacciner contre la grippe, la pneumococcie et le virus respiratoire syncytial (VRS), et gardez votre vaccination à jour.

Suite P.7

CHAPLEAU EXPRESS, January 11, 2024- Page 6

Last weeks solutions MOMENTS IN TIME On Jan. 22, 2006, Evo Morales became Bolivia's first indigenous president, with a primary focus on fighting poverty and reducing the influence of transnational corporations. As more than half of the country's population identified as indigenous at the time, political analysts drew comparisons with the election of Nelson Mandela to the South African presidency in 1994.

CHAPLEAU EXPRESS, January 11, 2024- Page 7

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Simples précautions requises pour arrêter l’augmentation des signalements de maladies respiratoires et entériques Suite de la P.5 -Restez chez vous en cas de maladie. Si vous devez en sortir, par exemple, pour passer un test ou recevoir des soins médicaux, portez un masque bien ajusté.

-Suivez les directives des hôpitaux, des foyers de soins de longue durée et des maisons de retraite où vous allez concernant le port du masque et le lavage des mains; évitez de rendre visite à des pensionnaires ou des patients si vous ne vous sentez pas bien.

-Santé publique collabore étroitement avec les hôpitaux, les foyers de soins de longue durée, les maisons de retraite et les autres lieux d’hébergement collectif pour s’assurer que des mesures de prévention et de contrôle des infections sont prises et pour aider à contrôler les éclosions et à réduire au minimum la propagation aux personnes les plus

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vulnérables.

Chaque semaine, Santé publique fournit en ligne de l’information sur les niveaux d’activité des infections respiratoires, dont la COVID-19, la grippe et le VRS, et en affiche sur les éclosions actives de maladies respiratoires et entériques dans les districts de Sudbury et de Manitoulin.

Afin d’en savoir plus sur les maladies respiratoires et entériques et les précautions à prendre, allez à phsd.ca ou appelez Santé publique Sudbury et districts au 705.522.9200 (1.866.522.9200, sans frais).

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Local MARKETPLACE ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS (A.A).Open discussion meeting every Monday evening. Brunswick House First Nation Band office lounge 7pm. Narcotics Anonymous(N.A) every Tuesday same place same time.

NNADAP Worker @ 864-0174 info.

CHADWIC HOME, FAMILY RESOURCE CENTRE. Offers shelter, emotional support, and information for women and their children who are in crisis situations. We have a Toll Free Crisis Line which is staffed 24 hours a day. We can arrange for free transportation to the Centre for women who live in the Algoma/Chapleau area. We also offer support to women who live in the communities of Chapleau, White River, Dubreuilville, and Hornepayne through our Outreach Program. Our Outreach Worker travels to those communities to meet with women who need emotional support as well as information about their rights and options. If you need to speak with the Outreach Worker when she is in your community, you can call the Centre at any time to set up an appointment. You do not need to be a resident of the Centre in order to use our services. If you need someone to talk to or if you just need someone to listen, call our Toll Free Crisis line at 1800-461-2242 or you can drop in at the Centre. We are here for you.

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CHAPLEAU EXPRESS, January 11, 2024- Page 8

Number of Ontario hospital emergency closures soars to new record: Health Coalition demands Ford government finally take action A new report, Unprecedented and Worsening: Ontario's Local Hospital Closures 2023 released by the Ontario Health Coalition at Queen's Park this morning, paints a stark picture of a health care system that has tipped into collapse.

Across Ontario, vital hospital services, such as emergency departments, maternity and obstetrics, outpatient laboratories and intensive care units, have been subject to repeated closures in the last three years. Those closures were unprecedented. Now, the Coalition found that the number of emergency department closures has increased even more. Not only are emergency departments shuttered for evenings, overnights, weekends or weeks and months at a time, but so too are labour and delivery units, obstetrics, outpatient laboratories, urgent care centres and intensive care units. The duration of closures is getting longer.

Multiple towns across regions are closing vital services at the same time. Public notice is often last minute.

NDP: Conservatives' corruption, chaos costs Ontarians 48,000 jobs LONDON – MPP Terence Kernaghan (London North Centre), Official Opposition critic for Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, released the following statement after Ontario lost 48,000 jobs in December: “Every single one of these jobs represents a person whose life was upended and just found it even more difficult to make ends meet. While some other provinces are seeing an increase in jobs, Ontario is on a notable decline.

It's no wonder Ontario is losing jobs Ford and the Conservatives are too busy covering up their own corruption scandals and rearranging dinner party fundraisers for their wealthy i nsiders.

We can't solve the housing or health care crises while we're losing thousands of good people and jobs in those sectors.

The Ontario NDP are proposing real solutions to solve the affordability crisis and create jobs – like our plan to get the province back in the business of building housing, and reopening emergency and operating rooms by investing in health care.”

In December 2023, Ontario lost: · 20,000 jobs in construction · 7,000 jobs in manufacturing · 7,000 jobs in health care and social services The unemployment rate now stands at 6.3% in Ontario. Racialized Ontarians are being disproportionately impacted NDP-led British Columbia added nearly 18,000 jobs, including 12,000 jobs in health care and social services.

In its report released today, the Ontario Health Coalition tracked the closures of these urgent hospital services and found the following closures to date in 2023: !

868 temporary or permanent emergency department closures (one is permanent); !

316 urgent care centre closures; ! two outpatient laboratory closures; ! eleven obstetrics unit closures; ! one ICU closure, and; ! one labour and delivery unit closure (longterm).

In total, there have been 1,199 closures of vital hospital services this year up until November 24, meaning these services have temporarily or permanently closed in 1,199 instances.

Consequently, 31,055 hours of care (equivalent to 3.44 years) have been lost to local communities this year so far.

A growing number of local hospitals are at risk of permanently losing services. !

The local emergency department in Chesley has been closing evenings, overnight and on weekends since December 5, 2022. !

Clinton's emergency department has been closed from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. since December 2019. !

The town of Durham in Western Ontario has had at least 51 emergency department closures in 2023 to date. !

Seaforth has had 17 temporary emergency department closures this year, Walkerton has had 20 and Wingham has had 31. !

The Fort Erie and Port Colborne urgent care centres permanently closed overnight on July 5, and; !

The Minden hospital's emergency department permanently closed on June 1. !

In Hearst, more than an hour away from the nearest hospital, labour and delivery has been closed for months. !

Communities as remote as Red Lake and Manitoulin Island have warned they are on the brink of closures.

"It is indisputable that these closures are endangering the health of Ontario residents," warned Natalie Mehra, executive director of the Ontario Health Coalition. "There is no excess hospital capacity to be closed. Ontario has welldocumented levels of hospital overcrowding and consequential emergency department backups that are extreme by all standards, national and international. The hospitals to which patients must drive -- or to which they must somehow find transportation when their local hospital services are closed – are already overburdened and understaffed."

"In the North, the distances between hospitals that are experiencing service closures are huge. Some hospitals have had services closed when they are an hour to four hours away from the next open service," she added. "In the counties of Midwestern Ontario – Perth, Huron, Wellington, Dufferin, Bruce and Grey – we are seeing multiple hospital emergency departments closed at the same time with little to no notice. Patients in medical

crises have to confirm on their own that the next hospital emergency isn't also closed."

The immediate cause of the closures is staff shortages including nurse, health professional and physician shortages. Staffing shortages that were emerging prior to the pandemic have grown over the last three years into the worst crisis anyone has seen. The staffing crisis has been compounded by public policy choices by the Ford government that have actively undermined staffing efforts, including wage suppression legislation (Bill 124), privatization of staffing through for-profit staffing agencies, the government's decision to end emergency COVID funding for locums and other funding, and extremely short-term funding arrangements announced after short staffing has become critical.

Ms. Mehra also blamed the worsening situation on an unprecedented failure of leadership: "The Ford government has not stepped in and set a standard of expectation that these vital services remain open," she said, noting that historically the Health Minister has intervened to halt closures. However, in response to the permanent closure of the Minden hospital emergency department, in existence since 1956, the Minister said it is a local decision.

"The failure of the provincial government to take responsibility for planning, recruiting and retaining needed health care staff, dealing with crises and setting standards for access to the most urgent of health care services is at odds with the approach of Ontario's governments dating back at least forty years."

Long term policies of underfunding hospitals in order to downsize them meant that Ontario had no surge capacity left by the beginning of the pandemic. Ontario has the fewest hospital beds per person left of any province in Canada and funds hospitals at the lowest rate in the country.

Despite promises to end hallway medicine and not to cut public services, the Ford government imposed a new round of austerity and real-dollar cuts to public hospitals when it took power. While the government provided extra funding during the early years of the pandemic, it cancelled COVID funding in the most recent budget, imposing austerity again.

This year, hospital funding in Ontario is increasing by only 0.5% while health care inflation increased by 5.65%, a real-dollar cut, forcing hospitals to downsize their services and continuing downward pressure on wages for staff that are already in crisis-levels of short supply. At the same time, they have vastly increased funding for forprofit clinics and hospitals, and for for-profit staffing agencies.

There can be no solution to the staffing crisis without retaining and attracting back staff into the regular workforce of our public hospitals.

Instead, the provincial government is making public policy choices to impose budget austerity on public hospitals while funding private staffing agencies, not taking leadership, attempting to impose further wage suppression, and providing only short-term and belated