Ontario’s deepening nursing care crisis has come into greater focus after Canada’s largest hospital network cut 28 registered nurse positions, most of them in a renal intensive care unit. That sparked warnings from unions that staff shortages, burnout and patient safety risks are worsening even as health systems nationwide grapple with rising demand and workplace violence.
Erin Ariss, president of the Ontario Nurses Association (ONA), said: “This leads to potentially life-threatening and life-changing complications for every patient.”
“It is absurd and frankly shocking that they would continue to cut these positions when we have the lowest number of registered nurses (RNs) per population in the country.”
According to the CTV News website, most of the front-line job cuts at University Health Network (UHN) have been focused on the hemodialysis unit, where patients with acute kidney injury are treated, Ariss said.
Advances in the treatment of kidney disease have resulted in 30 to 40 fewer dialysis patients needing inpatient treatment than in previous years.
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“We are adapting our staffing model to reflect these realities, with RPNs (Registered Practical Nurses) taking on a broader nursing role and our registered nurses focusing on our most complex patients and moving into roles across UHN where their expertise will have the greatest impact,” said UHN spokesperson Ana Fernandes.
The Ontario Nurses’ Association announced last week that 700 positions for nurses and front-line health workers have been eliminated since January 2025. “This government is doing nothing to improve the situation,” Ariss said. “Instead, they are trying to balance their books on the backs of the registered nurses (RNs) in this province.”
BC, Nova Scotia Progress, Violence Continues
The sharp criticism from the ONA comes as nursing unions in other provinces report improved working conditions under their governments, although significant gaps remain.
According to the CTV News website, the Nova Scotia nurses’ union says a program introduced about five years ago that guarantees jobs for graduates of nursing programs in the province has helped put the province on the “right path.”
Minimum nurse-to-patient ratios have also been negotiated in Nova Scotia, a measure that limits the number of patients per nurse and has also been implemented in British Columbia.
“Nurses in Ontario are graduating from university as nurses and can’t find work, which is shocking,” Ariss said. “Ontario is also one of the few provinces that does not advocate for nurse-to-patient ratios…
Without urgent reforms, Canada’s care crisis will continue to worsen, with growing risks to staff and patient care.