Updated June 30, 2026 @ 4:41pm
The Ontario Nurses Association says 12 nursing positions have been cut at Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) in Barrie, raising concerns about patient care.
The union says the cuts include 10 full-time registered nurse positions in dialysis, emergency, angiography, professional practice and clinical cancer trials, along with two nurse practitioner positions in geriatrics.
"Cutting care will make it harder for those in the Barrie community to access care and hurt the safety of patients and workers alike. We should be increasing nurse care through safe staffing ratios, not gutting an already decimated nursing workforce," said ONA President Erin Ariss.
The union blames the provincial government for what it calls ongoing underfunding of public health care and says the cuts will lead to longer waits and increased workloads for nurses.
Earlier this month, the hospital reported a year-end deficit of $7.8 million for 2025-26.
In a statement to Barrie 360, RVH said it announced earlier last month that the hospital had a long-range financial sustainability plan designed to ensure the health centre can continue to meet the needs of a growing region while maintaining safe, high-quality care.
"The plan focuses on operational efficiency, innovation and aligning resources where they are needed most. Patient safety, quality and access remain the guiding principles for every decision," according to the statement.
RVH says it recognizes the essential role nurses and nurse practitioners play in delivering care and remains committed to supporting and retaining its nursing workforce.
"As hospitals across Ontario face growing demand, increasing complexity of care, and significant financial pressures, our focus is on ensuring we have the right people in the right roles to support patient care. As part of this work, the nursing positions referenced by ONA were included in the broader resource-alignment process announced on June 3 as part of RVH's long-range plan. This includes aligning certain positions with patient demands, available funding and making adjustments informed by service levels, benchmarking, and utilization," the hospital stated.
The statement went on to say that RVH is prioritizing redeployment and retention wherever possible, with nursing opportunities available across the health centre.
"We are following the processes outlined in the ONA collection agreement to ensure a fair, transparent, and consistent approach for all impacted staff. While these decisions are necessary to align resources with patient needs and available funding, it is important to underscore that RVH continues to require strong nursing capacity across the organization. These decisions are being made thoughtfully to support Team RVH and to ensure long-term sustainability of high-quality care for the communities we serve."
