CUPE Ontario has applauded Ontario’s decision to put a hold on competitive bidding in home care.
- Update: On Jan. 29, the government stopped competitive bidding province-wide
- For background see: Compulsory competitive bidding in home care under review
The decision comes after weeks of public protest in reaction to a decision to exclude non-profit agencies from the bidding process in Hamilton.
CUPE Ontario President Sid Ryan said of Ontario Health Minister George Smitherman, “If he really wants the best quality home care services for Ontario, now he should make the choice to end home care competitive bidding province-wide.”
The Ontario Health Coalition is also pressing for a ban on bidding, calling for a return public, non-profit home care provincewide.
Last month, the provincial government drew fire from CUPE Ontario and others for lifing a three-year moratorium on competitive bidding in the sector.
For more information on the costs of competitive bidding, see this chapter of CUPE’s 2000 Annual Report on Privatization, and this CUPE research report.