Striking North York health-care workers dispute employer’s use of government funding

A group of striking health-care workers in North York say their employer misused provincial funding that should have gone toward wage increases.

Forty-four nurses and health-care professionals – including social workers, dietitians, and pharmacists – from the North York Family Health Team (NYFHT) have been on strike since Oct. 20.

Rita Ha, a pharmacist and the group’s bargaining unit president, told CBC Toronto the workers want to see the government funds redirected to staff along with a fair collective agreement.

“We've been doing negotiations since April 2024,” she said. “Every single time we come to the table, they're saying, ‘There's no money, there's no money, there's no money.’”

In June this year, the Ford government announced $235 million in funding to support new and expanded p