Media Advisory - Striking Primary Care Workers from North York Family Health Team Picket outside the Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario Conference

TORONTO, Oct. 22, 2025 /CNW/ - Striking North York Family Health Team (NYFHT) primary care workers will picket in front of the Westin Harbour Castle tomorrow (Thursday) and Friday as the Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario conference is held inside.

More than 40 nurses and health-care professionals went on strike on Monday after their employer failed to negotiate a fair first collective agreement.

The highly educated workers will be joined by Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA) regional leaders at the picket. Dr. Jane Philpott, Chair of the province's Primary Care Action Team, is speaking about primary care at the conference on Thursday morning.

Primary care workers at NYFHT provide comprehensive, preventative and immediate care to 95,000 patients in the Greater Toronto Area. After working under a multi-year wage freeze, many are considering leaving to work in other health-care sectors where they are better paid for performing the same level of work.

Amidst a widespread lack of primary care access, the government and employers should be doing everything they can to retain and recruit staff so that communities can get the care they need and deserve. That is not happening at NYFHT.

WHO:	Striking primary care workers and leaders of the Ontario Nurses' Association
WHAT:	Picket and protest
WHERE:	Westin Harbour Castle, 1 Harbour Square, Toronto, ON,
WHEN:	ONA Vice-President Karen McKay-Eden and NYFHT Bargaining Unit President Rita Ha will speak at 9:15 a.m. Pickets to take place on Thursday, October 23 from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm; Friday, October 24 from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm

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

SOURCE Ontario Nurses' Association

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