Ontario Health Coalition People’s Referendum

The Ontario Health Coalition (OHC) is calling on labour partners and local coalitions to participate in an action where they will host a province-wide citizen’s referendum on public healthcare in May.

At an emergency board meeting, the OHC proposed an action similar to what they did in the early 2000s under the then McGuinty Liberal government. The OHC held seven local referendums where they garnered more than 92,000 votes to roll back privatization under the P3 schemes proposed.

Later, under the Wynne Liberals, they held a smaller scale referendum with about 56,000 votes cast during a two-week window, ultimately gathering over 100,000 votes. Alongside the vote, they held protests, press conferences, and other actions. The Wynne government stopped its plans to privatize surgeries and diagnostics.

OSSTF/FEESO has endorsed this action by the OHC and is asking District/Bargaining Units to work with their local health coalition in receiving a range of promotional materials such as posters, flyers, and lawn signs. The OHC is offering anyone who wishes to host their vote at their worksite to contact their local health coalition to receive the ballot box and ballots.

The Hospital Privatization Referendum occurs online and at voting stations in May. Online voting opened on May 2, 2023, and paper balloting in public places will occur at voting stations from May 26-27, 2023. The OHC has an active public campaign educating voters on why the referendum is taking place and what is at stake.

Information on the referendum can be found at publichospitalvote.ca. More polling locations and online voting instructions are coming soon to the website.

If you have questions please contact, Munib.Sajjad@osstf.ca.