Hundreds Rally in Toronto to Demand Nurse Staffing Ratios as Ontario Nurses' Association Bargains with Hospital CEOs

TORONTO, Jan. 29, 2025 /CNW/ - Hundreds of registered nurses (RNs), health-care professionals, labour leaders and allies held a large rally in Toronto today to call on hospital CEOs to implement RN-to-patient staffing ratios in Ontario's public hospitals.

The demonstration happened outside the Hilton Toronto Hotel as mediation talks took place inside between the Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA) and the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) to determine a new contract for approximately 60,000+ RNs and health-care professionals working in public hospitals.

"ONA's front-line members have made it clear that their top priority is improving access to high-quality, safe patient care for everyone, by implementing nursing ratios now," says ONA Provincial President Erin Ariss, RN. "Ontario's hospital CEOs must invest in nursing ratios, instead of understaffing our public system and outsourcing public health-care services to private clinics."

Nurse staffing ratios are being put in place in jurisdictions in Canada, the U.S. and elsewhere to ensure there are enough RNs to provide safe, quality patient care. RN-to-patient staffing ratios have been shown to increase access to timely care and improve patient health outcomes.

"Not only will nurse staffing ratios improve the quality of care, but they will also mean fewer emergency department closures, especially in smaller communities," Ariss notes. "Guaranteeing RN staffing levels will help stem the tide of nurses leaving our public hospitals, frustrated by their inability to provide the care patients need because of understaffing.

"The brutal truth is that hospital CEOs are intentionally understaffing our public hospitals, so they can expand private care," Ariss says. "Understaffing and private health care will cost Ontarians, and that's why we are fighting back."

ONA is the union representing 68,000 registered nurses and health-care professionals, as well as 18,000 nursing students, providing care in hospitals, long-term care facilities, public health, the community, clinics and industry.

SOURCE Ontario Nurses' Association

To arrange a media interview: [email protected]