Le Lézard
Classified in: Health, Business
Subjects: MAV, LBR, PSF

Media Advisory: Public Health Ontario Lab workers are sounding the alarm - rural families are at risk!


TORONTO, April 16, 2024 /CNW/ - OPSEU/SEFPO President JP Hornick and members working at Public Health Ontario (PHO) Labs will join NDP MPPs Jamie West and Monique Taylor on Wednesday April 17 in the morning for a news conference at Queen's Park to sound the alarm about the potential closure of six (6) out of 11 PHO labs in Ontario, and the risk it poses for rural families and communities.

PHO currently has a plan to close the laboratory sites in Timmins, Sault Ste. Marie, Orillia, Hamilton, Kingston, and Peterborough as part of its 'modernization plan'. In December 2023, the Auditor General endorsed this plan and recommended that the labs be closed within 12 months.

Combined, these labs collect and process thousands of water samples and time-sensitive medical tests each day. They are integral to our public health infrastructure in Ontario.

The closure of these 6 community-based PHO labs will increase health inequities and endanger rural families and communities. It will also undermine our ability to detect and prevent the spread of disease and compromise our response to future health crises.

Workers at the affected lab sites and members of their communities launched a petition campaign to stop the closures and will deliver thousands of signatures to Queen's Park. The event coincides with National Medical Laboratory Week, where we recognize the important role these professionals have in promoting the health and safety of everyone in Ontario.

OPSEU/SEFPO calls on the Ford Government to stop the closure of the six labs and invest in the public health infrastructure needed to keep Ontarians safe and healthy.

What: News conference and petition delivery
When: Wednesday April 17, 9:30 am 
Where: Queen's Park Media Studio
Guest Dial-in Numbers:
Local - Toronto, (+1) 416 764 8658 
Toll Free - North America, (+1) 888 886 7786

Livestream link:

https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/video/media-studio 

Media availability:

JP Hornick, OPSEU/SEFPO President
Casey McGuire, PHO Lab worker and OPSEU/SEFPO Blood Services and Diagnostics sector executive member
Geoffrey Cain, OPSEU/SEFPO Blood Services and Diagnostics sector chair
MPP Jamie West
MPP Monique Taylor

SOURCE Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU/SEFPO)


These press releases may also interest you

at 03:14
Stockholm Exergi announces permanent carbon removal agreement with Microsoft, world's largest to date
Stockholm Exergi today announced that it has signed a contract with Microsoft covering 3.33 million tonnes of permanent carbon removals from bio-energy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) at Värtan, Stockholm. The agreement represents the world's...

at 03:00
Heidrick & Struggles Adds One Consultant in Israel and Two Consultants in Europe
Heidrick & Struggles , a premier provider of global leadership advisory and on-demand talent solutions, added a partner and principal to its Executive Search business and a principal in the Heidrick Consulting business in Europe and Israel in...

at 03:00
OKX Ventures Announces Strategic Investment in EVG's Consumer-oriented Projects, Paving the Way for Novel Applications in SocialFi and GameFi
OKX Ventures, the investment arm of leading crypto exchange and Web3 technology company OKX, has announced a strategic investment in four consumer-oriented products from Web3 venture studio EVG. These include multi-chain SocialFi infrastructure Open...

at 02:30
The General Assembly of Siniora Food Industries Company approved the distribution of cash dividends amounting to JD 4.2 million representing 15% of its paid-in capital, and stock dividends amounting to 2,147,059 shares
In its ordinary and extraordinary meetings held on April 28, 2024, the general assembly of Siniora Food Industries Company approved the distribution of cash dividends amounting to JD 4.2 million to its shareholders, representing 15% of the company's...

at 02:00
TerraPay Continues to Attract Top Industry Talent, Names Hassan Chatila as Vice President and Global Head of Network
TerraPay, a leading global money movement company, is excited to announce the appointment of Hassan Chatila as Vice President - Global Head of Network. This key addition to TerraPay's global network leadership also marks a critical step in the...

at 01:10
Ambri Agrees to Terms of Proposed Sale with Lender Consortium
Ambri, the provider of long-duration Liquid Metaltm battery storage systems, today announced that it has agreed to the terms of a stalking horse purchase agreement with a consortium of its lenders (the "Lender Consortium"), pursuant to which the...

More news about Business...


News published on and distributed by: