TORONTO, April 17,
2024 /CNW/ - In the midst of a housing crisis that
shows no signs of abating and concerns over affordability, the
Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO) applauds the ambition of the
federal government's housing plan, including funding to support an
industrial strategy and necessary infrastructure. Noting housing is
a social determinant of health, RNAO highlights the value of
protections for renters and measures to increase the supply of
affordable housing.
In Ontario, thousands have been
forced out of their homes because of so-called renovictions. Nurses
say any effort to protect tenants must have teeth. A report by the
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives revealed average rents
increased 54.5 per cent over the past decade even though provincial
government guidelines limited such increases to 16.5 per cent. "No
amount of funding will help if landlords can take advantage of
tenants in this way," says RNAO President Dr. Claudette Holloway.
Helping people who experience homelessness must be a key focus
of all levels of government. Holloway reminded the federal
government that its "National Housing Strategy Act (passed in 2019)
recognizes housing as a human right." RNAO says Ottawa must ensure provinces put laws and
policies in place that make housing affordable and accessible to
all. Holloway welcomes the "renewed support for programs such as
the Rapid Housing Initiative and Reaching Home, as well as the new
Cooperative Housing Development Program." She added the
Ontario government has "an
obligation to participate in federal cost-matching programs to
prevent homelessness and ensure people who are unhoused have a safe
place to live."
RNAO also lauded Tuesday's budget commitment of $1 billion over five years to provide meals to
children who do not have access to school-based programs. "No child
should go hungry," insists Holloway citing the high cost of food
inflation – up 22 per cent since 2021. "RNAO calls on Ontario to support this program by ensuring
it's implemented permanently across the province," adds
Holloway.
Welcome news is a $500 million
fund to help community health organizations provide more mental
health care to young people. "Rates of depression, anxiety and
other mental health issues demand urgent attention and nurses are
thankful for this investment," says Holloway.
The budget earmarked $1.5 billion
in funding over five years to provide coverage for diabetes
medications and contraceptives as part of the federal government's
commitment to a national single-payer pharmacare program, an
agreement reached between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and NDP leader Jagmeet Singh earlier this year. "It's a good
start for an urgently needed program and we look forward to ongoing
federal government leadership to achieve a comprehensive,
single-payer universal plan, says Dr. Doris
Grinspun, RNAO's CEO. "Pharmacare helps close the inequity
gap. Also, it makes economic sense as purchasing prescription drugs
in bulk will lower health expenditures." This is why RNAO has
already discussed with Premier Ford the urgency of signing onto the
pharmacare agreement.
In February, Ontario signed a
$3.1 billion health transfer
agreement with the federal government. RNAO celebrated this
partnership and hoped Tuesday's budget would contain specifics to
address two critical areas: Canada's nursing workforce crisis and primary
care. In Ontario alone, more than
25,000 additional nurses are needed to ensure the right care can be
delivered across all sectors. And, 2.5 million Ontarians lack
regular access to a primary health provider. "Without nurses there
is no health system. And, without a robust primary health-care
sector we will never achieve a high functioning system," says
Grinspun, adding "Ottawa must
continue to increase its share of total government health spending
to 35 per cent – with strings attached – to ensure
deliverables."
On the environment, RNAO commended Trudeau's government for
remaining firm on its carbon pricing program despite naysayers.
"The only way out of the climate crisis is by implementing strong
measures that stop our reliance on fossil fuels and Ottawa is advancing that," says Grinspun,
urging the federal government to go much further to address the
climate crisis. An easy step is to support Bill C-372 and ban
fossil fuel advertising. "Nurses have joined the campaign by the
Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. Together,
we need to ensure Canadians are fully informed of the health
hazards that result from burning fossil fuels," says Grinspun.
The Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO) is the professional association
representing registered nurses, nurse practitioners and nursing
students in Ontario. Since 1925,
RNAO has advocated for healthy public policy, promoted excellence
in nursing practice, increased nurses' contribution to shaping the
health system, and influenced decisions that affect nurses and the
public we serve. For more information about RNAO,
visit RNAO.ca or follow us on X (formerly
Twitter), Facebook and Instagram.
SOURCE Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario