EnterpriseHealth Checkup: Ontario’s Legislature Returns

Back to Basics  

Ontario’s legislature is back and the political landscape is heating up.  

Premier Doug Ford and his Progressive Conservative government kickstarted the new session with a flurry of announcements last week focused on their bread-and-butter issues, including opposing the carbon tax, banning road tolls on provincial highways, and freezing driver’s licence fees. These announcements will be part of upcoming omnibus legislation, the Get It Done Act.   

So where does that leave health care?   

While inflation pressures have eased slightly, high interest rates and the cost of living continue to pose risks to Ontario’s economy and fiscal position. As a result, all signs are pointing to limited new health care spending in the 2024 budget, potentially resulting in some disappointed stakeholders. However, several important initiatives continue to roll out behind the scenes, as well as some significant fiscal pressures. 

The doctor is in: Earlier this month, the government announced an investment of $110 million to expand interprofessional primary care times, tripling the original $30 million dollars earmarked – although some family physicians feel the investment was too little, too late. With negotiations on a new Physician Services Agreement with the Ontario Medical Association ongoing, we anticipate the government will continue to look for ways to reduce administrative burden on family doctors, including highlighting progress on reducing paperwork.  

Cashing out: Following the Ontario Court of Appeal’s ruling that the one-per-cent wage cap imposed by Bill 124 was unconstitutional, the government announced it will not appeal the court’s decision and will instead take steps to repeal Bill 124 in its entirety in the coming weeks. While many impacted employers and unions across the broader public service have already reopened their collective agreements and have renegotiated contracts and payouts, there is potential to see a push for further wage increases and retroactive payments across the health care sector.  

It’s all about Your Health: The government remains committed to implementing its Your Health Plan. Of note, the government recently named Accreditation Canada as the inspection body responsible for oversight of current and future community surgical centres. Over the spring and summer, expect the government to release a call for proposals to issue additional licences for community surgical and diagnostic centres to deliver OHIP-insured services for orthopedic surgeries, GI endoscopies, and MRI/CT scans.  

Off to the Races   

As the government looks to define the new leader of the Ontario Liberal Party, Bonnie Crombie, expect them to be laser-focused on their key issues: the economy, building, jobs, affordability, and improving the services people rely on.  

The government believes they will be judged on how well they can deliver on this plan and tangible outcomes voters can see before the next provincial election. With that, we’ve seen a concerted effort by Minister of Health Sylvia Jones and her team to profile the impact of the government’s recent health care investments, including a recent ad campaign. Expect to see more of this in the lead-up to Budget 2024.