Over 2,000 workers, activists and citizens rallied in Toronto April 3 to stop P3 hospitals. Protestors vowed to fight the Liberal government’s betrayal of a campaign promise to keep Ontario hospitals in public hands.
The McGuinty government has not yet released details of the Brampton and Ottawa P3 hospital deals. An announcement is expected shortly on a P3 hospital for Markham- Stooffeville.
Health Minister George Smitherman has said the province remains open to allowing other hospitals to explore the P3 model. And the Ontario government is testing the waters with a discussion paper that promotes P3s as the solution to a wide range of public infrastructure needs.
“We got a clear message,” says CUPE Ontario president Sid Ryan. “Their preferred way to finance infrastructure is through P3 mechanisms even though they’re a rip-off because it costs more to borrow private money.”