Ontario health minister announces $10 million investment to bolster nursing workforce

The deputy premier and health minister was in Orillia Wednesday morning to announce a $10 million investment to address a staffing shortage in many of Ontario's hospitals.

While at Soldiers' Memorial Hospital, Sylvia Jones said the investment would help more than 1,000 nurses upskill their emergency care training.

"This investment will break down barriers and provide more opportunities for emergency department nurses to grow in their career as we build a stronger, more resilient health care system for generations to come," the health minister noted.

Minister Jones said the money would bolster and stabilize the nursing workforce in emergency rooms in Ontario, especially in rural and remote hospitals.

"It means our nurses have the opportunity to develop new skills in critical areas, like the emergency department, which helps us serve our community better," added the Orillia hospital's president and CEO, Carmine Stumpo.

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The new upskill training will be offered in person and online.

"This helps patients by making sure nurses are the best equipped with the most information that they need in education," said Jill Colin, Soldiers' vice president of patient care and chief nursing executive.

"Nurses are telling us this program is invaluable," says Judy Linton, executive vice president & chief nursing executive at Ontario Health.

The program is aimed in part at maintaining and increasing the number of skilled nurses across the province.