Ontario spending on private nursing agencies has more than quadrupled since pandemic began
The use of private nursing agencies to fill staffing gaps in Ontario hospitals has more than quadrupled since the pandemic began.
The figures are laid out in an arbitration decision for hospital nurses represented by the Ontario Nurses' Association released last week.
Chair William Kaplan says that in 2020-21, hospitals reported spending $38,350,956 on agency nurses. By 2022-23 that cost had exploded to $173,669,808.
"The vast expansion of overtime and agency nurse usage – demonstrated by a truly astonishing growth in both – establishes a true recruitment and retention problem," Kaplan writes of the extra hours in his July 20 decision.
He explains that hospitals are paying agency nurses double or triple rates for contract nurses because it's the only way for hospitals to meet their staffing needs with compensation "a, if, not the, key driver in attracting employees."
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
A spokesperson for Health Minister Sylvia Jones insists the hours worked by agency nurses are dropping and represent less than two percent of all hours work in Ontario hospitals.
Jones described nursing agencies as a tool to help hospitals when plans change.
It just speaks to the fact that when we have hospitals partners who are able to react and respond to increase community needs, they have the ability to do that," Jones told reporters in Kitchener Monday.
Kaplan's arbitration decision awarded ONA members an 11 percent wage increase spread over two years.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Serial sexual offender linked to unsolved 1970s homicides of four Calgary girls, women
An investigation into unsolved historical homicides from the 1970s has linked the deaths of two girls and two young women in and around Calgary to a now-deceased serial offender.
Woman with liver failure rejected for a transplant after medical review highlights alcohol use
For nearly three months, Amanda Huska has been in an Ontario hospital, part of it on life support, because of severe liver failure. Her history of alcohol use is getting in the way of her only potential treatment: a liver transplant.
$500K-worth of elvers seized at Toronto airport
Fishery and border service officers seized more than 100 kilograms of unauthorized elvers at the Toronto Pearson International Airport on Wednesday.
Toronto eliminated from PWHL playoffs
Toronto has been eliminated from the PWHL playoffs.
Information commissioner faces $700K funding shortfall, says system is 'overwhelmed'
Canada's information commissioner says her office is facing a $700,000 funding shortfall that could impact its ability to investigate complaints about government transparency and accountability.
B.C. man 'attacked suddenly' by adult grizzly near Alberta boundary: RCMP
A B.C. man is recovering from multiple injuries after he was "attacked suddenly" by an adult grizzly bear near Elkford Thursday afternoon.
Backlash over NFL player Harrison Butker's commencement speech has reached a new level
The NFL is distancing itself from controversial comments by Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker during a recent commencement address.
Dabney Coleman, actor who specialized in curmudgeons, dies at 92
Dabney Coleman, the mustachioed character actor who specialized in smarmy villains like the chauvinist boss in '9 to 5' and the nasty TV director in 'Tootsie,' has died. He was 92.
Craig Berube named as next head coach of Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs have named Craig Berube as their new head coach.