The Ontario 2025 budget, called “Protect Ontario,” is a snapshot in time of the current economic situation facing the province. Premier Ford and his government remain focused on new spending initiatives to stimulate the economy in response to ongoing tariff threats and protecting jobs in manufacturing, mining and other private sectors.
Despite these challenges, healthcare remains the largest line item in the budget – allocating a total of $91 billion in 2025, an annual increase of 2% from 2024. The question remains; will this be enough to address the growing demands for healthcare services, while the province is also facing a growing shortage of healthcare workers.
While the budget is investing billions of dollars in front-line care, as well as healthcare infrastructure including hospitals and long-term care, there is growing concern that current provincial funding will not be enough to respond to growing patient demands and reduce wait times for critical services.
New legislation to reform healthcare in Ontario
In the weeks leading up to the Budget, the Ontario government introduced three new Bills intended to reform the provincial healthcare system, attract more workers to the province and improve patient access to care.
These Bills are designed to improve labour mobility for healthcare workers, increase access to doctors and nurses across the province, expand community clinics and create a new framework for health staffing agencies, as well as enhance hospital governance.
There has also been some criticism of the expansion of community clinics leading to further privatization within the public system.
With this system transformation underway, this is a critical moment to engage with the province on these proposed Bills to address the challenges facing the healthcare system and to ensure dollars are allocated where they are needed most.
How the province is investing its healthcare dollars
- Health Infrastructure: A commitment of approximately $56 billion over the next decade, including over $43 billion in capital grants, supports over 50 major hospital projects and adds around 3,000 new hospital beds.
- Primary Care Expansion: An investment of $1.8 billion aims to connect every Ontarian to a family doctor or primary care team within four years. Additionally, over $235 million will establish and expand up to 80 new primary care teams, connecting 300,000 more people to primary care.
- Community Health Services: Up to $280 million over two years will expand Integrated Community Health Service Centres, providing MRI, CT scans, and other diagnostic services.
- Long-Term Care: A new construction funding support program will unlock more than 8,000 new and redeveloped long-term care beds.
- Children’s Mental Health: A 4% base funding increase aims to stabilize services and address growing demand in the sector.
The road ahead
Post-budget, healthcare providers be tasked with delivering more patient care without a lot more funding from the province. To achieve the province’s healthcare goals to increase access to care, the government requires the hands-on support from healthcare workers, regulators, labour groups and industry associations to work together to succeed.
Contact us to discuss how you can bring your voice to the table and engage with the province on the future of healthcare delivery in Ontario.