October 31, 2024 – Ontario’s community health sector, representing over 200,000 dedicated workers, is at a tipping point. Ontario’s 2024 Fall Economic Statement failed to address the urgent wage gap in the sector that is impacting the care millions of people in Ontario rely on.  

Community health workers in primary care, mental health and addictions, home care, and more are facing a $2 billion wage gap compared to their peers in similar settings including in hospitals and schools. In many cases, these workers are doing the exact same, or similar, work.  

Community health workers love the work they do, but with the cost of living continuing to rise, they simply cannot afford to stay in the sector. The result is that the community health sector is struggling to attract and retain the workforce necessary to ensure that Ontarians can access the care they need when they need it. 

In the 2025 Ontario budget, the government has the opportunity to support Ontario’s community health workers and ensure care in the community is available to Ontarians now and in the future by:   

• Closing the wage gap by investing $500 million each year over the next five years;  
• Addressing Bill 124 shortfalls that continue to impact the community health sector; and   
• Establishing a government working group to develop a sustainable approach to building and supporting the community health workforce.  

For Us. For You. is a collaborative effort by ten provincial associations representing over 200,000 community workers who came together over a year ago to work with the Ontario government to find solutions for labour challenges in the community health sector.  

The associations include: 

• Addictions and Mental Health Ontario; 
• AdvantAge Ontario; 
• Alliance for Healthier Communities; 
• Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario;  
• Canadian Mental Health Association Ontario;  
• Children’s Mental Health Ontario;  
• Family Service Ontario; 
• Indigenous Primary Health Care Council; 
• Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic Association: and 
• Ontario Community Support Association.