UPDATE -- MEDIA ADVISORY POSTPONED UNTIL TUESDAY: Press Conference Monday Morning

Ford Government’s health privatization comments “outrageous, and foolhardy”, raising red-flags about backroom deal making


TORONTO, Aug. 15, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With sincere apologies, the Ontario Health Coalition has had to postpone their press conference due to technological issues. We will have the issue fixed today and are rescheduling to tomorrow morning. Please see revised date and time below.

The Ontario Health Coalition is at its highest level of alert as a result of the Ford government’s statements about their plans to privatize public health care services this week, warning that the government’s statements reveal they are having backroom discussions regarding health care privatization, including specifically privatization of Ontario’s public hospital services.

Natalie Mehra, executive director of the Ontario Health Coalition, called the Ford government’s statements, “both outrageous and foolhardy”. She demanded full disclosure of the corporations with which the Ford government has been meeting regarding plans to privatize health care, and she called on Ford to reveal a complete list of health care services under threat of privatization. She warned that the Ford government has no mandate for hospital privatization whatsoever, particularly given their outright denials of these plans in response to the Coalition’s warnings in the pre-election period.

“The Ford government stated “options” are actively “under consideration”, indicating that there have been backroom discussions regarding restructuring and privatizing Ontario’s public and non-profit health care services. This is unacceptable. Without exaggeration, these are life and death issues for every single Ontarian,” noted Ms. Mehra.

The Coalition is inviting media to a press conference Tuesday, August 16 at 10:30 a.m. by Zoom as follows (the Zoom registration is still the same. If you have already registered, you do not need to register again):

When: Tuesday August 16 at 10:30 am by Zoom.

Please register below and you will receive meeting link in your email.

Registration Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYld--sqD0uGdWsuJCSL4fdMDHGtftz19Br 

For more information: Riley Sanders, Communications and Campaigns Director (647) 617-1474; Natalie Mehra, executive director, (416) 230-6402.