November 28, 2023
Private Hospitals get preferential treatment with the Conservative Government
This morning during question period, NDP Health Critic France Gélinas, MPP for Nickel Belt, questioned Premier Ford about the province’s use of public funds to help expand private hospitals.
“Speaker why is Ontario paying 330 % more for surgeries in for profit clinics than in public hospitals.” The member from Eglington Lawrence stated, “These centres have higher costs because they’re purchasing equipment.” Don Mills Surgical Unit, a for profit hospital, expanded from 3 to 6 operating rooms and 7 recovery bays, while our public hospital operating rooms sit dark and empty and against the Private Hospitals Act that forbids expanding for-profit hospitals. Why are you expanding private hospitals where we pay more for less?”
After a CBC report on fees paid to private clinics, the Ontario Health Coalition shared more research on the expansion of the Don Mills Surgical Unit.
“Speaker, the previous Minister of Health, is now a lobbyist for Clearpoint, the corporation that owns Don Mills Surgical Unit. The Ontario’s Members’ Integrity Act prohibits former Cabinet Ministers from ever making representations to the provincial government. Don Mills received a 278% funding increase when Christine Elliott was Minister of Health. Does the Premier support the fact that his former Minister of Health is lobbying for preferential treatment for Don Mills?”
On November 7 2023, Premier Ford’s former Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Christine Elliott registered to lobby on behalf of Clearpoint Health Network Inc, a subsidiary of Kensington Capital Partners Limited.