Ford government lays off more than 400 workers at Ontario health agencies Wednesday

The NDP disagreed with Elliott’s and the government’s announcement and issued a statement saying the cuts will end up affecting patients.

“Health care in Ontario was left hanging by a thread by Kathleen Wynne and the Liberals, and Doug Ford is now cutting the thread,” said Stiles. “That leaves us all worried that the hallway medicine crisis, the long waits, and the troubles in Ontario’s health care system are going to go from bad to worse.”

OPSEU President Smokey Thomas said the announcement is just another “promise betrayed.”

WATCH: Former Ontario health ministers speak out about proposed cuts (May 23, 2019)

“Ford promised no job losses, but it’s becoming clearer by the day that he never had a real plan. He’s running a government by chaos and the people of Ontario are paying the price. Ford won based on lofty promises to reign in the deficit without any consequence for frontline jobs and services – he’s now proven himself incompetent on both ends,” Thomas said in a statement.

“Every single one of these jobs matters. These workers are all part of an interconnected team that provides high-quality, patient-centred care; they’re not just numbers or potential “efficiencies” to be cut.”

Elliott said right now, the province has a large network of provincial agencies that has created confusion for patients and providers. She believes the reorganization and elimination of positions will ultimately direct more funds to direct patient care.