{"id":915437,"date":"2026-06-25T18:17:55","date_gmt":"2026-06-25T23:17:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/25\/weve-never-seen-a-situation-like-this-before-ontario-health-care-system-at-breaking-point-nurses-say\/"},"modified":"2026-06-25T18:17:55","modified_gmt":"2026-06-25T23:17:55","slug":"weve-never-seen-a-situation-like-this-before-ontario-health-care-system-at-breaking-point-nurses-say","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/25\/weve-never-seen-a-situation-like-this-before-ontario-health-care-system-at-breaking-point-nurses-say\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018We\u2019ve never seen a situation like this before\u2019: Ontario health-care system at breaking point, nurses say"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<div>\n<figure data-aqa=\"featured-image\"><picture><source media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/ottawacitizen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/stock-photo-nurse.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=564&#038;h=423&#038;type=webp&#038;sig=J4UfXVZD2KAoKg82mvu3cw, \nhttps:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/ottawacitizen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/stock-photo-nurse.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=1128&#038;h=846&#038;type=webp&#038;sig=WOmBzyRNB9quZpJ6mJayXA 2x\" type=\"image\/webp\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/ottawacitizen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/stock-photo-nurse.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=564&#038;h=423&#038;type=jpg&#038;sig=kY6yZ-aFtdeT1AtpG4ZpGg, \nhttps:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/ottawacitizen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/stock-photo-nurse.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=1128&#038;h=846&#038;type=jpg&#038;sig=LPzZ7z0rexk6R1E82Yun3A 2x\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/ottawacitizen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/stock-photo-nurse.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=472&#038;h=354&#038;type=webp&#038;sig=OVDvRoRJMvDlpRt7Guhb8w, \nhttps:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/ottawacitizen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/stock-photo-nurse.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=944&#038;h=708&#038;type=webp&#038;sig=XOaps7jBejtwVoZiVe0TKg 2x\" type=\"image\/webp\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/ottawacitizen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/stock-photo-nurse.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=472&#038;h=354&#038;type=jpg&#038;sig=L9O1MGLOyD4Tg9x2SQ0Qkw, \nhttps:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/ottawacitizen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/stock-photo-nurse.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=944&#038;h=708&#038;type=jpg&#038;sig=4w2PFj0qyWGw0g_u2u_URA 2x\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/ottawacitizen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/stock-photo-nurse.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=288&#038;h=216&#038;type=webp&#038;sig=yQk5yNoG5DfR2IkF53NoXQ, \nhttps:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/ottawacitizen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/stock-photo-nurse.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=576&#038;h=432&#038;type=webp&#038;sig=adR2n5kYreNOj7PJWljSWg 2x\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img alt=\"Stock photo tired stressed nurse\" src=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/ottawacitizen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/stock-photo-nurse.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=288&#038;h=216&#038;sig=fDPWOjGYwh7R8mLt22DQIg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/ottawacitizen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/stock-photo-nurse.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=288&#038;h=216&#038;sig=fDPWOjGYwh7R8mLt22DQIg,\n                    https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/ottawacitizen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/stock-photo-nurse.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=576&#038;h=432&#038;sig=eykU9CrdFrutqUa4IPP64A 2x\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" height=\"900\" width=\"1200\"><\/picture><figcaption><span>A stock photo of a tired health-care worker. \u201cMorale is at an all-time low,&#8221; says a representative for the Ottawa region of the Registered Nurses\u2019 Association of Ontario.<\/span> <span>GETTY IMAGES\/ISTOCKPHOTO<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>Every year, nurses, nurse practitioners and politicians gather for conversation over coffee and breakfast. This year\u2019s \u201cBreakfast with Politicians\u201d was different.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section data-aqa=\"identity-sign-in\" data-async id=\"article-block\">\n<header>\n<div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Ottawa Citizen\" height=\"37\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/21.5.0\/websites\/images\/identity\/logo-identity-oc-new.svg\" width=\"280\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY<\/p>\n<p>Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Unlimited digital access to the Ottawa Citizen.<\/li>\n<li>Analysis on all things Ottawa by Bruce Deachman,David Pugliese, and others, award-winning newsletters and virtual events.<\/li>\n<li>Opportunity to engage with our commenting community.<\/li>\n<li>Ottawa Citizen ePaper.<\/li>\n<li>Ottawa Citizen App.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n<p>Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Exclusive articles from David Pugliese, Andrew Duffy, Bruce Deachman and others. Plus, food reviews and event listings in the weekly newsletter, Ottawa, Out of Office.<\/li>\n<li>Unlimited online access to Ottawa Citizen and 15 news sites with one account.<\/li>\n<li>Ottawa Citizen ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.<\/li>\n<li>Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.<\/li>\n<li>Support local journalism.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>REGISTER \/ SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n<p>Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Access articles from across Canada with one account.<\/li>\n<li>Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.<\/li>\n<li>Enjoy additional articles per month.<\/li>\n<li>Get email updates from your favourite authors.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>Register to unlock this article \u2014 it\u2019s free<\/p>\n<p>Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Access articles from across Canada with one account<\/li>\n<li>Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments<\/li>\n<li>Enjoy additional articles per month<\/li>\n<li>Get email updates from your favourite authors<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div data-auth-component id=\"auth-screen-form\" aria-live=\"assertive\">\n<h2>Sign In or Create an Account<\/h2>\n<p><span><\/span><span>or<\/span><span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMorale is at an all-time low,\u201d said Tracy Saldivia-Odar, a communications representative for the Ottawa region of the Registered Nurses\u2019 Association of Ontario.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s at the height of tension, and we\u2019re in very serious disagreements. Hundreds of nurses in the Ottawa area were just laid off,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>The tension she\u2019s referring to is, in part, between registered nurses and the Ontario government, which continues to change funding for hospitals, resulting in workforce cuts.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<div aria-labelledby=\"TheEveningCitizen8416379041694517475076516721197056\" data-account-id=\"b9d3df2fccd108b5eff3c44f573b2cd6\" data-aqa=\"widget-newsletter\" data-newsletter=\"single\" data-newsletter-component data-target-list=\"OC_Covid19_Newsletter\" data-widget=\"newsletter\">\n<p>By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p data-async>In April, <a data-evt-val=\"{\"control_fields\": {\"mparticle\": {\"keys\": {\"click_source_type\": \"click_source_type\", \"anchor_text\": \"anchor_text\", \"target_url\": \"target_url\", \"layout_section\": \"layout_section\"}, \"mp_event_type\": \"Navigation\", \"extra_keys\": [\"click_vertical_position_percentage\", \"click_vertical_position_pixels\"]}}, \"click_source_type\": \"in-page link\", \"anchor_text\": \"The Ottawa Hospital\", \"target_url\": \"https:\/\/ottawacitizen.com\/tag\/the-ottawa-hospital\/\", \"layout_section\": \"in-page-link\"}\" data-evt=\"click\" data-evt-typ=\"click\" href=\"https:\/\/ottawacitizen.com\/tag\/the-ottawa-hospital\/\">The Ottawa Hospital<\/a> announced it would cut about 400 workers. Most of them would be nurses.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf anyone says there are lots of nursing jobs in Ottawa \u2014 there are not,\u201d Saldivia-Odar said.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>Without good staffing ratios, says the Ontario Nurses\u2019 Association, Canada\u2019s largest nurse union, there will be even longer wait times, possibly life-threatening delays and unreasonable workloads. While staffing ratios vary and are often not achieved in practice, the 2024 Patient\u2011to\u2011Nurse Ratios for Hospitals Act says a 1-to-1 staff-to-patient ratio is ideal within critical care, for example.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p data-async>At Friday morning\u2019s event at Oat Couture cafe on Gladstone Avenue, ONA representatives handed out flyers to local <a data-evt-val=\"{\"control_fields\": {\"mparticle\": {\"keys\": {\"click_source_type\": \"click_source_type\", \"anchor_text\": \"anchor_text\", \"target_url\": \"target_url\", \"layout_section\": \"layout_section\"}, \"mp_event_type\": \"Navigation\", \"extra_keys\": [\"click_vertical_position_percentage\", \"click_vertical_position_pixels\"]}}, \"click_source_type\": \"in-page link\", \"anchor_text\": \"health-care\", \"target_url\": \"https:\/\/ottawacitizen.com\/tag\/health-care\/\", \"layout_section\": \"in-page-link\"}\" data-evt=\"click\" data-evt-typ=\"click\" href=\"https:\/\/ottawacitizen.com\/tag\/health-care\/\">health-care<\/a> workers and their supporters outlining the consequences of the recent cuts.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>The hot topics of the morning also included the reduction of Ontario Student Assistance Program funding, low wages for nurses working in community health care as opposed to hospitals, changes to the Canada Health Act, difficulties in navigating the health-care system and violence towards nurses in hospitals.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>In the 1990s, the provincial government made similar changes to healthcare funding, but back then students had OSAP to rely on, Saldivia-Odar said, adding that Ontario\u2019s health-care system has never before seen a situation like the one it sees now.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>Earlier this year, the province cut OSAP grants from a maximum of 85 per cent to 25 per cent and encouraged students to opt for \u201cjobs of the future\u201d \u2014 among those suggested was health care.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>Despite that encouragement, the prospect of increased debt complicates the future for students.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>On May 15, the Canadian Union of Public Employees released a Canadian Centre of Policy Alternatives report highlighting these overwhelming pressures.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>The report strongly recommended that the provincial government implement an aggressive plan to address the hospital funding and capacity crises instead of laying off staff.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>In the report, Andrew Longhurst, senior researcher at the CCPA, called it a toxic situation that undermined the goal of offering timely access to care for patients.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<div>\n<figure data-aqa=\"embed-image\"><picture><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/ottawacitizen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/andrew-longhurst-canadian-centre-for-policy-alternatives.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=564&#038;type=webp&#038;sig=mUSZtXANWM88bCyIHhPbNA, \nhttps:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/ottawacitizen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/andrew-longhurst-canadian-centre-for-policy-alternatives.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=1128&#038;type=webp&#038;sig=DvPdxj20RB5GaR7CWcsTaA 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\"  type=\"image\/webp\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/ottawacitizen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/andrew-longhurst-canadian-centre-for-policy-alternatives.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=564&#038;type=jpg&#038;sig=E6WHKxjXWHoFZPbQ3yyP4g, \nhttps:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/ottawacitizen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/andrew-longhurst-canadian-centre-for-policy-alternatives.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=1128&#038;type=jpg&#038;sig=Fcd0cxuSaYz_gcad4JwLdg 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\"  type=\"image\/jpeg\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/ottawacitizen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/andrew-longhurst-canadian-centre-for-policy-alternatives.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=472&#038;type=webp&#038;sig=ldLf-jXZWeRbA8uTjh1ROA, \nhttps:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/ottawacitizen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/andrew-longhurst-canadian-centre-for-policy-alternatives.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=944&#038;type=webp&#038;sig=UGZB8FptRPZ0FCXVrQTDcg 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 768px)\"  type=\"image\/webp\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/ottawacitizen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/andrew-longhurst-canadian-centre-for-policy-alternatives.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=472&#038;type=jpg&#038;sig=7x2UzymPAwczJD0sMBJ-zQ, \nhttps:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/ottawacitizen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/andrew-longhurst-canadian-centre-for-policy-alternatives.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=944&#038;type=jpg&#038;sig=ypTllDy1hnXnHxxEgde_8Q 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 768px)\"  type=\"image\/jpeg\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/ottawacitizen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/andrew-longhurst-canadian-centre-for-policy-alternatives.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=288&#038;type=webp&#038;sig=nLdnHc3sWEXqKa9NdWx9LQ, \nhttps:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/ottawacitizen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/andrew-longhurst-canadian-centre-for-policy-alternatives.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=576&#038;type=webp&#038;sig=5DI6bHAH6OVyKNkkJX9_tQ 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 767px)\"  type=\"image\/webp\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Andrew Longhurst Canadian Centre for Police Alternatives\" src=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/ottawacitizen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/andrew-longhurst-canadian-centre-for-policy-alternatives.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=288&#038;sig=YUJlvyRdY8dQHhJIX4IVxQ\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/ottawacitizen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/andrew-longhurst-canadian-centre-for-policy-alternatives.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=288&#038;sig=YUJlvyRdY8dQHhJIX4IVxQ,\n                https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/ottawacitizen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/andrew-longhurst-canadian-centre-for-policy-alternatives.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;w=576&#038;sig=QqIyM3ZwwEW03q1_xU7ZYQ 2x\" height=\"900\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1200\"><\/picture><figcaption><span> Andrew Longhurst, senior researcher with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, says Ontario is seeing \u201cprobably the most serious crisis of hospital funding and health-care funding, at a time of significant demographic shifts.<\/span> <span>Photo by TAYLOR CAMPBELL<\/span> \/<span>WINDSOR STAR\/POSTMEDIA NETWORK<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section>\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>Longhurst confirmed that hospital admission wait times \u201cincreased 30 per cent over five years as 90 per cent of patients waited 43.7 hours in 2024-25.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ottawacitizen.com\/news\/ontario-health-care-system-breaking-point-nurses\" class=\"button purchase\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A stock photo of a tired health-care worker. \u201cMorale is at an all-time low,&#8221; says a representative for the Ottawa region of the Registered Nurses\u2019 Association of Ontario. GETTY IMAGES\/ISTOCKPHOTO Article content Every year, nurses, nurse practitioners and politicians gather for conversation over coffee and breakfast. This year\u2019s \u201cBreakfast with Politicians\u201d was different. THIS CONTENT<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":915438,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1377,142],"tags":[7852,6146],"class_list":["post-915437","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-situation","category-weve","tag-situation","tag-weve"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/915437","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=915437"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/915437\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/915438"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=915437"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=915437"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=915437"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}