Niagara Health to cut nearly 100 jobs as it works to reduce $26M deficit

Niagara Health plans to eliminate nearly 100 jobs in an effort to save money after ending the latest fiscal year with a $26-million deficit, CHCH News has learned.

An email sent to Niagara Health staff, obtained by CHCH News, says the hospital system intends to cut 88 unionized roles and 10 non-union positions as it faces “significant pressures.”

The email notes that no nurses will be laid off and that 87 per cent of the reductions will come through vacancies and redeployments.

“Our priority throughout this process has been to ensure there are no impacts to hospital programs or services,” Niagara Health CEO Lynn Guerriero writes in the email.

“It is important to remember during this time that Niagara Health has more than 6,400 staff, and that we will continue to recruit in areas of high demand.”

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The email goes on to say that the health system aims to offer all impacted staff alternative jobs.

The job cuts will result in more than $9 million in savings, Guerriero says.

Niagara Health says it has already taken steps to reduce its deficit, including reviewing contracts, improving sick time and overtime, reducing discretionary spending, and continuing to strengthen emergency department and inpatient performance.

“We have identified the need to adjust how we operate across the organization including modernizing processes, ensuring consistent models of care across sites and ensuring that roles created during the pandemic that are no longer necessary are reassigned,” the email says.

There is no word yet on when the layoffs will happen.

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This is a developing news story. More to come.