WHEREAS nurses and health-care professionals are the backbone of our public health-care system and provide essential care to all Ontarians, and more than ever nurses and health-care professionals deserve recognition and reward for their skills and dedication; and
WHEREAS Ontario is experiencing a health human resources crisis with chronic shortages of nurses and health-care professionals in hospitals, clinical settings, long-term care, home care, and all health care environments; and
WHEREAS Ontario has the lowest RN-to-population of any province in Canada, and would need to hire 22,000 new nurses to reach the average RN staffing ratio in Canada; and
WHEREAS burnout and overwork are exacerbating the underlying health human resources crisis and driving nurses and other health-care professionals to leave the sector at an unprecedented rate; and
WHEREAS Bill 124 unfairly suppresses the wages of nurses and health-care professionals and limits their ability to negotiate freely, and further contributes to the culture of disrespect that is contributing to the staffing crisis. Further, as Bill 124 limits wage increases to a maximum of 1% per year despite growing inflation nurses have effectively seen their wages cut during the COVID-19 pandemic.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Municipality of Lambton Shores calls on the Ontario government to recognize the severity of the health human resources crisis in Ontario and take urgent action to recruit and retain skilled, experienced nurses and health-care professionals; and further
THAT the Municipality of Lambton Shores calls on the Ontario government to repeal Bill 124, legislation that suppresses the wages of nurses and health-care professionals and prevents collective bargaining to keep up with inflation; and further
THAT a copy of this Resolution be sent to: The Premier of Ontario, the Ontario Minister of Health, and the Ontario Minister of Long-Term Care, the Leader of the Official Opposition, the Opposition Critic for Health, and the Opposition Critic for Long-Term Care, all Members of Provincial Parliament representing constituencies in Lambton Shores and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) requesting they share with all their member municipalities.