THESSALON – Members of the community are engaged in a determined effort to preserve their hospital and reinstate its services. The community hospital in Thessalon is a critical lifeline for its residents. Regrettably, the local emergency department has experienced numerous closures.
In temperatures that descended to -13° Celsius, over 100 demonstrators gathered at 2 p.m. today to express their dissent regarding the prevailing circumstances surrounding Thessalon Hospital. Undaunted by the inclement weather, they were attired in warm clothing and displayed a variety of signs, articulating their concerns and advocating for their cause. The participants proceeded to the streets and the Trans-Canada Highway in a unified effort to draw the attention of the Ford government. Prior to their march toward the Trans-Canada Highway, community members convened at Thessalon Hospital.
The principal cause of the closures is the difficulty in securing an adequate number of physicians to staff the emergency department, particularly during periods when regular medical personnel are unavailable. This challenge is a persistent issue faced by the North Shore Health Network (NSHN), which manages the Thessalon site. In 2020, the inpatient beds within the hospital were closed on a "temporary" basis, and they have not yet been reopened.
This protest stands as a clear sign of the rising discontent among the 1,400 residents of this small town regarding the current governance in Ontario. Demonstrators voiced their frustrations over what they see as a significant gap between the community’s needs and the actions taken by the provincial government.
Michael Hurley, President of the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions, elucidated the reasons for the presence of residents who gathered to protest. He posed a critical question: “Is it a reasonable expectation for a community such as Thessalon, which has dedicated a decade to establishing a community hospital, to anticipate that it should be operational?” He further asserted, “It is imperative that the hospital has an open emergency department and that acute care beds are in operation. We are assembled here today to affirm that this is a legitimate expectation.”
Albert Dupuis, co-chair of the Algoma Health Coalition from Blind River expressed agreement with Hurley’s sentiment, stating, “It is unjust that rural towns in Northern Ontario are overlooked by this government.”
Mary Jane Thompson, co-organizer of the protest and former teacher, informed ElliotLakeToday that, “Individuals who have resided in this community for their entire lives and have contributed taxes to fund the construction of this hospital are unable to access its services.”
“It appears to be transforming into an emergency clinic and a transfer facility,” remarked Thompson. “Patients are no longer able to remain in the hospital for extended periods. In cases of emergencies, perhaps they may stay for 24 hours; however, even that is not guaranteed.”
Natalie Mehra, Executive Director of the Ontario Health Coalition (OHC), addressed the meeting. “In my visit to Thessalon last week, my primary message was, and continues to be, that if each candidate in the upcoming election encounters a unified demand at every doorstep to restore hospital services and to halt the closures, they will be compelled to make definitive commitments regarding these issues,” Mehra said.
Tim Vine, the Chief Executive Officer of the North Shore Health Network (NSHN), was notably absent from the rally.
Janice Cameron, aged 80, has resided in Thessalon for nine years and was among the participants in the protest.
“This is a charming little town, and I wish to see this hospital remain open,” stated the elderly woman, who arrived with her walker, resolute in her commitment to see the protest to its conclusion. Sharon Ritchie a Sudbury resident said, “It shames me that Doug Ford is not helping keep this hospital open”
Ford made a commitment to eliminate hallway medicine, yet recent reports reveal that around 2,000 individuals are now waiting on stretchers in hallways each day—more than double the figure when he first took office. In spite of this alarming trend, the government has not taken steps to reverse the closures of hospital beds or address the insufficient capacity in the current healthcare system.
While there has been an increase in funding for for-profit clinics, the special funding for locum doctors in northern regions was initially scrapped and has only been reinstated on a temporary basis. Wage caps imposed on hospital staff have resulted in actual cuts, and public hospital budgets continue to fall short of what is needed to meet the growing demand, leading to deficits and delays in hiring new staff.
Emergency department closures, which were once uncommon prior to 2018, hit unprecedented levels in 2024. The Ontario Health Coalition is demanding accountability from Ford and is urging all political parties to pledge to implement essential reforms, cautioning that our public health system cannot withstand another four years of this situation.
This united expression of concern emphasizes a strong demand for more responsiveness and accountability from elected officials, as residents strive to ensure their voices are heard and their issues are genuinely addressed.