FAO shows extra cuts to public health and long-term care before the pandemic

Ford spent nearly $500 million less than promised on health care in 2019-20

HAMILTON — A new report from the Financial Accountability Office of Ontario (FAO) shows that after a deep-cutting 2019-20 budget, the Ford government took even more away from long-term care and public health — making Ontario even less able to respond to COVID-19.

“We knew Doug Ford’s budget was full of callous cuts. What the FAO revealed today is that, throughout the year, Ford twisted the knife even deeper, stripping even more out of health care and seniors care,” said Official Opposition Finance critic Sandy Shaw.

“He cut public heath’s budget, then took away another $49 million off during the course of the year. He shortchanged long-term care homes and hospitals, then took away another $65 million. Even as a pandemic approached, Ford was stripping millions upon millions out of the budgets for critical health services.”

In total, the Ford government spent $466 million less than it promised to for health care, including public health and long-term care. Shaw said a post-pandemic judicial inquiry into the province’s response should include the impact of cuts and underfunding throughout health and long-term care.

Background

According to the FAO’s report, the government spent $466 million less than it promised to in the 2019-20 budget, including:

$49 million less for public health programs
$65 million less for hospitals, long-term care homes and community programs
$314 million less for hospital infrastructure projects