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Surging population growth is widening an already serious gap in hospital funding in the regions surrounding Toronto. The same regions are being shortchanged in social services, too, and indications are that the gap will widen further in the coming years.
That's the upshot of a new report tallying provincial funding for hospital care and social services in the 905 regions (Durham, York, Peel and Halton) and other fast-growing regions such as Waterloo.
Residents in these high-growth areas are receiving $254 per person less than other Ontarians for hospital care in the current fiscal year, according to the report by PricewaterhouseCoopers. That is up slightly from the $253 per person gap in the previous year. Six years ago, the gap was just $184.
As for social services, residents of the GTA outside Toronto were each allocated $193 less than other Ontarians in 2006-07. That gap has narrowed from $218 per person in the previous year, but only because cuts to child-care funding resulted in less money for everyone.
The province is aware of these disparities and is spending $120 million on hospitals in fast-growing communities, with the first $30 million going out this year. But a lot more is needed to close an annual gap of about $1.4 billion in hospital spending alone.
Simply put, the fastest growing parts of the province are receiving less funding, and a lower level of service, than elsewhere. On the national stage, Premier Dalton McGuinty has repeatedly demanded more fairness for Ontario. That's well and good, but he should also give some thought to providing more fairness inside Ontario.
