By Hannah Schmidt, CTV News
April 25, 2026 at 6:21PM EDT
Hundreds of people gathered in Waterloo Saturday to protest what they described as increasing pressure on Ontario’s public healthcare system, including concerns about hospital funding, staffing shortages and the growing role of private clinics.
The demonstration at Waterloo Town Square, organized by the Waterloo Region Health Coalition (WRHC), was part of a coordinated day of action across several Ontario communities.
Protesters carried signs, chanted slogans and called on the provincial government to prioritize investment in public hospitals.
“Almost 500 people showed up to talk about what’s happening to our public health care system, the privatization and the dismantling the destruction of our public health care system by this administration,” said Jim Stewart, chair of the coalition. “And we’re here really to send a clear message to them saying that we’d like them to stop. In fact, the people here seemed to demand that it stop privatizing our public health care.”
Organizers say hospitals in Waterloo region are facing increased strain due to population growth and ongoing staffing shortages.
Read more and view the video at CTV News
