Orillia Soldiers Memorial Hospital fills numerous nursing positions with job fair

As Ontario hospitals continue to deal with staffing shortages, Orillia's Soldiers Memorial Hospital looked to bolster its nursing staff on Saturday.

The hospital held a nursing hiring fair, looking to fill dozens of positions that it said would help to bolster its workforce.

Yvonne Kurz was among the first to be offered a position Saturday morning.

"It's very helpful because there's no red tape, and there's no waiting, no anxiety, and you get your questions answered right away," Kurz said moments after accepting the position.

The hiring fair comes amid labour disputes and layoffs at other hospitals across the region.

Stevenson Memorial Hospital in Alliston announced it would be cutting 13 nursing positions by the end of the month, while Collingwood General and Marine Hospital is dealing with an ongoing nursing dispute.

"I was kind of not sure what to expect coming in. I knew there were going to be interviews on the spot, but I didn't know that I would know right away after my interview, "said Kelly Payne, who accepted a position on Saturday.

The hospital said it was looking to fill 30 positions in total.