“The Ontario Premier (Doug Ford) has caused the conditions where the very people who keep our hospitals running will lose their jobs. Why won’t the Premier properly fund hospitals so Niagara Health can cancel all the layoffs and ensure patients get the care they need and deserve?” – Wayne Gates, NDP MPP for the Riding of Niagara Falls
“The Premier has caused the conditions where the very people who keep our hospitals running will lose their jobs. Why won’t the Premier properly fund hospitals so Niagara Health can cancel all the layoffs and ensure patients get the care they need and deserve?” – Jennie Stevens, NDP MPP for the Riding of St. Catharines
Niagara Falls MP Wayne Gates and St. Catharines MP Jennie Stevens
A News Release from the constituency Offices of Niagara Falls NDP MPP Wayne Gates and St. Catharines NDP MPP Jennie Stevens
Posted December 10th, 2025 on Niagara At Large
QUEEN’S PARK — Niagara MPPs Wayne Gates (Niagara Falls) and Jennie Stevens (St. Catharines) pressed the Premier in Question Period today (this December 10th, 2025) (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fGKmnS70CjXuvV49h3Fbzzf7Y5ebQ0Mz/view) after an entire week has passed since Niagara Health announced 100 layoffs , with workers still having no clarity about who is losing their job or how patient care will be affected.
Gates said the situation is the direct result of the government’s refusal to properly fund hospitals, leaving frontline staff exhausted and patients waiting hours for care.
“Emergency room wait times are pushing 10 hours and frontline staff are exhausted from chronic short staffing,” said Gates.
“Last week Niagara Health announced 100 layoffs and workers are on edge wondering who is losing their job. The Premier has caused the conditions where the very people who keep our hospitals running will lose their jobs. Why won’t the Premier properly fund hospitals so Niagara Health can cancel all the layoffs and ensure patients get the care they need and deserve?”
Stevens followed Gate’s question with highlighting how families and workers deserve transparency and stability, not fear and uncertainty.
“Families with children, young people trying to survive and save up for a home, single people who don’t have a second income to rely on… these are the health care workers who will lose their jobs just before Christmas because of this government’s financial mismanagement,” said Stevens.
“Instead of leaving workers in the dark, will the Premier shed light on any plans to cut additional programs like senior care, clinics or cutting whole hospital departments altogether? Tell us who will suffer at the hands of these cuts.”
Gates and Stevens said frontline health-care workers have come to their officers saying they’re left in the dark about layoffs and job losses, leaving Niagara residents to endure worsening wait times, staff shortages and deep uncertainty because the province refuse to properly fund hospitals.
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