William Osler Health in Brampton faced with spiraling electricity bills as patients crowd hallways

TORONTO, ON: Documents obtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) reveal a dramatic increase to the cost of electricity to William Osler Health System in Brampton over the last five years. The documents, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, show that in the last five years, bills for the health centre’s main campus rose from $3.44 million to $7.76 million. That’s more than a 125 per cent increase. These calculations do not include costs for the new 20 Lynch campus, which opened in 2016.

---

The Brampton facility has come under scrutiny lately because an internal memo showed how over a one-year period, 4,300 patients received care in hallways at Brampton Civic Hospital, located at 2100 Bovaird. That particular site has seen an increase to their electricity bills of $2.95 million since 2012. “We are seeing patients languishing in hallways in Brampton, while the government is forcing hospitals to waste millions on inflated electricity prices because of their failed green energy policies,” said CTF Ontario Director, Christine Van Geyn. “Doctors and nurses want to provide exceptional care. But with limited resources, hospitals are forced to choose between keeping the lights on and providing that care.” The internal memo states that research shows that patients who spend any length of time in hallways end up staying in the hospital longer, and face higher risks of complications like infections. “No one wants to see sick people crowded in hallways, but when electricity is consuming more and more of the budget every year, there are fewer resources for beds, nurses, and doctors,” continued Van Geyn. “The Ontario government has manufactured a health care crisis with its failure to control electricity costs.” The documents detailing William Osler Health Services electricity bills can be found HERE. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is currently running a campaign opposing the Green Energy Act and cap-and-trade at StopHighEnergyBills.ca.

---