Global News has learned the Ontario government will be announcing plans to reform the province’s healthcare system on Tuesday.
Multiple government sources confirmed that as part of the announcement, Health and Long Term Care Minister Christine Elliott will be revealing details about the creation of a healthcare super agency.
Global News has also learned Elliott will announce plans to dissolve the province’s 14 Local Health Integration Network’s (LHINs). The LHINs currently manage funds for hospitals, long-term care homes and community health centres.
In early February, the NDP leaked a government draft bill which first revealed the super agency plan.
At the time, Elliott said the bill was “just a draft” and that the NDP were “fear mongering” when it came to concerns they raised about potential privatization of services.
In the days that followed, it was revealed that cabinet had already approved various actions as part of the new healthcare plan.
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A PC party source not authorized to speak publicly told Global News, “The Ontario healthcare system has been broken for some time and the Ford government was elected by the people of Ontario to fix it. It’s exciting that they are taking this strong action for the people.”
A government source, also not authorized to speak publicly told Global News said, “We are designing a system based around patients and their families.”
“The Doug Ford government has been cooking up a secret overhaul to health care services behind closed doors, in backrooms,” Sarah Singh, deputy leader of the NDP, told Global News in a statement.
“The NDP took the unprecedented step of obtaining and releasing a draft of that bill in order to warn the people of Ontario what Ford has been up to — and how it opens the door to a wave of for-profit companies to access our health care dollars.”
READ MORE: Ontario government considers creation of health super agency; NDP warns of privatization
Singh also said she hopes the government has revised its plan.
“We hope the bill has been drastically changed since we last saw it, to close the door to privatization and stop the creation of Ford’s super agency,” she said.
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