Open letter to Ontario’s 43rd Parliament: We need a comprehensive plan to rebuild Ontario’s healthcare system

(TORONTO- May 27, 2022) –Today, Rocco Rossi, President and CEO, Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC), released the following open letter to the 43rd Parliament of Ontario:

To the 43rd Parliament of Ontario:

Rebuilding a robust health care system absolutely needs to be your top priority.

The pandemic has made it abundantly clear that we cannot have a strong economy without a resilient health care system. While Ontario’s health care system has faced structural challenges for decades, many were further exacerbated due to COVID-19. Capacity issues, surgical backlogs, labour shortages, and socioeconomic inequities have all been amplified, clearly demonstrating the connection between health and the economy.

The province needs a comprehensive plan to make it happen. A piecemeal approach won’t work. This will require prioritizing a health human resources strategy, tackling deferred surgeries and diagnoses, supporting Ontario’s aging population, actioning on mental health care, delivering permanent virtual care, and preparing for future health crises. In the short-term, we need to make sure we use every tool in our toolbox, from rapid tests and therapeutics for COVID-19, to a strategy prioritizing routine immunizations.

Importantly, the pandemic has also highlighted the value of health care innovation and local solutions.  With the private sector eager to support a stronger public health care system and outcomes, Ontario’s next government must continue advancing digital health, data sharing, and a provincial life sciences strategy.

As the non-partisan, indispensable partner of business, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and its Health Policy Council members look forward to working with whoever becomes the next government to help build a robust and resilient healthcare system in Ontario.

Sincerely,

Rocco Rossi
President and CEO
Ontario Chamber of Commerce.

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About the Ontario Chamber of Commerce
For more than a century, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) has been the independent, non-partisan, indispensable partner of Ontario business. The OCC’s mission is to support economic growth in Ontario by defending business priorities at Queen’s Park on behalf of its network’s diverse 60,000 members.

For more information or to arrange an interview:

Alissa Reid
Coordinator, Public Affairs
alissareid@occ.ca| Mobile: (705) 205-1434

Backgrounder: Vote Prosperity

As outlined in OCC’s election priorities document,  Vote Prosperity, parties should be focused on policies that result in more prosperous communities, improved business confidence, high-quality jobs, and a more resilient economy. This requires:

• Boosting confidence and predictability by modernizing regulation, committing to meaningful consultations, and developing a long-term plan to tackle Ontario’s debt without increasing taxes or cutting valuable programs and services.
• Implementing pro-growth policies through helping businesses access the capital, markets, and talent they need to grow.
• Building resilient communities by bolstering health care capacity, addressing climate change, and bridging our infrastructure gaps, including housing.
• Supporting entrepreneurship and innovation with targeted supports and a bold approach on technology adoption and data innovation.

The recommendations outlined in OCC’s Vote Prosperity were developed together with businesses, associations, post-secondary institutions, as well as chambers of commerce and boards of trade from across the province.

As the indispensable partner of business, we look forward to putting our members’ issues front and centre this election. To ensure the next provincial election addresses the most important issues, we have developed Vote Prosperity. Read the full plan.