A new report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) says Ontario is facing a deepening hospital funding crisis [1].
The findings suggest that provincial funding levels are failing to keep pace with the rising demand for health services, leading to systemic deficits and longer wait times for patients [2].
According to the report, the majority of Ontario's 136 hospitals have been operating in the red since 2022 [3]. This financial strain is particularly evident in the province's northeast, where 63% of hospitals are operating in a deficit [4].
Regional centers have seen significant financial declines. The London Health Sciences Centre reported an operating deficit of $153 million for the 2024-25 fiscal year [5]. This represents a sharp increase from the $45 million deficit recorded in 2022-23 [5].
Beyond the balance sheets, the report highlights a decline in patient access. At Health Sciences North (HSN), emergency department wait times increased by 169% [6]. Report authors from the CCPA and OCHU/CUPE said emergency department wait times are a "canary in the coal mine" for health-care system performance [6].
Longhurst, a researcher and author of the report, said, "Things are bleak in the sector" [7]. The report notes that hospitals in Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie, and other regional centers are struggling under the funding gap [8].
The Ontario provincial government disputes the characterization of a crisis. Government officials said the province has provided record funding increases to the health system [9].
“"Things are bleak in the sector."”
The discrepancy between the CCPA's findings and the provincial government's position highlights a conflict over how 'record funding' is measured against inflation and population growth. While the government points to higher total spending, the reported deficits and surging wait times suggest that the cost of delivering care is outstripping the available budget, particularly in regional and northern hubs.
