Lobbying
2024 Lobbying Initiatives
2023 Lobbying Initiatives
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On Thursday November 2nd 2023, a large team representing the MLPAO spent the day at Queen’s Park informing and educating government officials on the needs of lab professionals across Ontario.
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This year, we expanded our representation to include physicians and pathologists, who work closely with lab so they could speak to their experiences of being short-staffed and the impact it is having on patient care.
Building a Lobby Team
Our trip to Queen’s Park started very early for some of us. We departed Hamilton at 6 a.m., picked up some team members and caught the Burlington 7:11 a.m. Go Train into Toronto. We were joined by a few others along the Go Train route. We knew we had a full day and opted to walk the 2.8 km from Union Station to Queen’s Park. It was a chilly day with the wind and, needless to say, we were awake with rosy cheeks ready to start the day when we arrived.
Members of parliament were scattered throughout Queen’s Park. Some in the main buildings, while others located in adjacent buildings. Our first meeting began at 9 a.m and the last meeting scheduled would take place at 4:30 p.m. We had over 30 meetings scheduled amongst our team of 15.
The composition of our team took a very circuitous route...
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Our team included, Dr. Corwyn Rowsell, Pathologist, Unity Health, Chair of the Ontario Pathologist Association;
Dr. Nancy Liu, Pathologist, Mackenzie Health, Vice Chair of the Ontario Pathologist Association; Jeffrey Dale, CEO, EORLA; Dennis Garvin, VP EORLA; Jessie Clelland, Chair, MLPAO; Andrea Tjahja, VP, MLPAO; John Soltys, Director MLPAO; Patti Legere, Director MLPAO; Lisa Merkley, Operations Director, Precision Diagnostics and Therapeutics Program, Laboratory Medicine/Medical Imaging, Sunnybrook; Dr. Kevin Katz, Medical Director of IP&C at NYGH; Heather Gillis, Operations Director, Depts. of Medical Imaging, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Royal Victoria Regional Health Center; Amanda Cocca, Manager, Genetics, Molecular Hematology and Malignant Hematology, HRLMP; Alan Stuart, Manager, Molecular Diagnostics Program, London Health Sciences Centre; Jennifer Sanna-White, Manager Lab Services, Red Lake Hospital; and our CEO, Michelle Hoad.
We are happy to report that we had another successful lobby day! On Wednesday November 27th, a large team representing the MLPAO visited Queen’s Park to disseminate the message regarding our 2025 pre-budget submission.
We had three specific asks:
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Support labs by funding preceptors and clinical placements. $17.8M (over three years) for clinical placements and preceptors. Estimated funding will be used to support clinical placements for students - three years at $10,000 - $20,000 / student for a total of $12M to educate 1,145 students. This funding will be used to provide clinical placements for approximately 350 students in 2025, 370 in 2026, and 425 in 2027. Employers will use $5.8M to hire additional staff to support students in a preceptor role, (similar to other health professionals), to provide hands-on training opportunities.
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Alleviate on site training at hospitals and community labs by funding simulation labs at MLT programs. $12M for MLT education programs to develop simulation laboratories (approx. $2M per school). Simulation-based learning will allow students to complete some disciplines (technical skills) by simulation while reducing the time needed in the clinical placement and in turn increase the number of labs able to take students for placements. An expansion of simulation training to all publicly funded post-secondary Medical Laboratory Sciences programs will ensure lab professionals have the proper knowledge, skills and competency for all types of scenarios.
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Extend the Learn and Stay Grant to ALL MLT programs. The Learn and Stay Grant was a welcome investment in the 2023 Budget and will help with MLT retention in eastern and northern Ontario. The government is encouraged to expand the Learn and Stay Grant to include MLT programs at Conestoga College, Georgian College, Humber College, Ontario Tech University, and St. Lawrence College as these programs train MLTs who work in eastern, northern and southwestern Ontario to further aid with retention in these parts of the province.
We were happy to meet with 25 different MPPs throughout the day including Hon. Sylvia Jones Deputy Premier and Minister of Health (MPP for Dufferin-Caledon) and Hon. David Piccini Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MPP for Northumberland-Peterborough South). The meeting with Minister Jones was productive and resulted in an ask for more information regarding the need for placements and preceptors. MLPAO is in the process of collecting this data and will prepare a follow up report for the Minister. The meeting with Minister Piccini was informative as we learned the Skills Development Fund Capital Stream could be an avenue for us to apply for funding for simulation labs.
Other notable meetings include:
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Meetings with those holding health portfolios including Anthony Leardi, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health & Deputy Government House Leader (MPP for Essex); France Gélinas, Official Opposition (NDP) Health Critic (MPP for Nickel Belt); Dr. Adil Shamji, Liberal Health Critic (MPP for Don Valley East).
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Meetings with Parliamentary Assistants (PAs) including Daisy Wai, PA to the Minister for Seniors and Accessibility (MPP for Richmond Hill); Laura Smith, PA to the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services (MPP for Thornhill); Natalie Pierre, PA to the Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions (MPP for Burlington); Tyler Allsopp, PA to the Minister of Long-Term Care (MPP for Bay of Quinte); and Deepak Anand, PA to the Associate Minister of Small Business (MPP for Mississauga-Malton).
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Meetings with opposition members including Wayne Gates, NDP Critic for Long-Term Care, Retirement Homes and Home Care (MPP for Niagara Falls); John Fraser, Liberal Critic for Children, Social and Community Services as well as Seniors and Long-Term Care (MPP for Ottawa South); and Terence Kernaghan’s Office, NDP Deputy Opposition House Leader and NDP Critic for Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade (MPP for London North-Centre).
It is important for the MLPAO to meet with MPPs from all parties (PC, Liberal, NDP, Green and Independents) currently represented in Ontario’s Legislative Assembly. The role of advocacy includes educating government on the role of lab to ensure our members’ voices are represented across the province and ensure we have positive working relationships with all political parties. We are working to make sure that we get as much funding as possible for our labs to help with the HHR shortage. Our lobby team did a tremendous job sharing our message and we had great conversations which will lead to follow ups including lab tours.
Now we need your help. It is important that every MPP in the House is informed about our 2025 pre-budget submission. We ask that you help amplify our messaging by writing a letter to your MPP using the template letter available on MLPAO’s website. You can find your local MPP and their contact information by using this link which will allow you to email or mail your letter to their office. Please send your letters, the more letters received the larger our voice will grow.
A special thank you to the following stakeholders that joined us on lobby day:
Michelle Hoad: CEO, MLPAO
Andrea Tjahja: VP Operations, MLPAO
Jessie Clelland: MLPAO Past Chair; Laboratory Supervisor, Georgian Bay General Hospital
Patti Legere: MLPAO District 7
John Soltys: MLPAO District 5; Director, Laboratory Medicine Unity Health
Camerra Yuill Robar, MLPAO Director District 6, Technical Manager HPHA
Natalie Goodman, Manager of Laboratory Services, NHH
Wes Morrison: MLPAO Board Advisor, Senior Manager, Genetics and HLA Clinical Laboratories, UHN
Dr. Jeffrey Fuller: Division Head, Clinical Microbiology, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, London Health Sciences Centre, Victoria Hospital
Dr. Katie O'Reilly: Laboratory Medical Director and General Pathologist, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Peterborough Regional Health Centre, Ross Memorial Hospital, Northumberland Hills Hospital and Campbellford Hospital
Dr. Nancy Liu: President, Ontario Association of Pathologists
Dr. Felix Leung: Division Head of Clinical Biochemistry, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Mount Sinai Hospital
Dr. Cathy Streutker: Chief and Medical Director, Laboratory Medicine Unity Health
Michelle Price: Specialist, Corporate Communications, CMLTO
John Tzountzouris: Registrar & CEO, CMLTO
Jeffrey Dale: CEO, EORLA
Dana Vajcovec: Regional Discipline Manager, Microbiology & Molecular Microbiology, EORLA
2022 Lobbying Initiatives
Skills Development Fund - Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory Fundamentals
January 2022
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In 2021, the MLPAO applied for and received funding from the Skills Development Fund through the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development (MLTSD). We were seeing the need to build immediate laboratory capacity for COVID-19 testing given the shortage of MLTs, as well as offering upgrades to promote career advancement and enhancement for both MLTs and MLA/Ts.
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We were awarded $94,616 to develop a course covering the theoretical and practical knowledge relevant to COVID-19 PCR testing, oncology, prenatal genetics, and genetic variants.
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This course launched in January 2022. Accredited by P.A.C.E.®, this 6-hour course is intended to expand knowledge of MLA/Ts working in molecular diagnostics labs as well as MLTs and MLA/Ts working in other areas of the laboratory to support MLTs with COVID-19 and other Molecular Diagnostics testing.
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An incredible team of MLTs worked together to produce this course as soon as funding was allocated in July. They also work together at the Hamilton Regional Laboratory Medicine Program (HRLMP). Barry Eng, B.Sc., MLT is a Technical Specialist Genetics at HRLMP and Lecturer in the Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University. Anna Haasen, B.Sc., MLT is a Technical Specialist Genetics at HRLMP. Betty-Ann Hohenadel, B.Sc., MLT, is a Clinical Genetics Technologist at HRLMP.
Health Workforce Planning Presentation
February 2022
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Over the past several years, the MLPAO has been working hard to build working relationships with the Ministry of Health. We have been speaking with our contacts about how to take steps towards our Call to Action and address shortages in our labs. In February, our voice was heard at Queen's Park. Director, Health Workforce Planning David Lamb gave an update to our membership on February 2: Supporting Health Human Resources Planning Now and in the Future. Mr. Lamb presented the Ministry of Health's plan to address Health Human Resources issues, followed by a Q+A. He commended the MLPAO for our research and advocacy efforts and showed the plans for the inclusion of the lab in health workforce planning moving forward.
Workplace Mental Health and Burnout Study
March 2022
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Results from research by Dr. Behdin Nowrouzi-Kia and Dr. Basem Gohar—affiliated with the University of Guelph, Laurentian University, and the University of Toronto—were published in March. Many of our members participated in a survey or focus group for the study, which investigated the workplace mental health of medical laboratory professionals through COVID-19 in Ontario.
Results were published in Frontiers in Psychiatry, "The Forgotten (Invisible) Healthcare Heroes: Experiences of Canadian Medical Laboratory Employees Working During the Pandemic," and the International Journal of Health Planning and Management, "Factors associated with burnout among medical laboratory professionals in Ontario, Canada: An exploratory study during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic."
Results show significant burnout and workplace stress following a lack of recognition for laboratory professionals. Read the reports here.
2021 Lobbying Initiatives
Action Now for Ontario Labs
January 2021 - present
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Our multi-step plan to address the MLT shortages, Action Now for Ontario Labs, continues in 2021. Action Now for Ontario Labs is a multi-phase project bringing together employers, educators, laboratory professionals, and government to understand the ongoing laboratory human resource shortage.
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January 6 we met with the leader of the Official Opposition MPP Andrea Horwath to share challenges the lab has been facing for many years. We hope this bipartisan approach ensures our message is heard by all parties and continues to keep chronic issues in the lab top of mind for legislators.
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On February 12, the Ministry of Finance confirmed receipt of our Pre-Budget Submission on the MLT Shortage Crisis in Ontario Laboratories. Our submission outlines the roots of this issue and shares some current statistics about the shortage. We explain the major road blocks of training and clinical placements, as well as highlighting some currently under-served areas. Read our Pre-Budget Submission here.
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We submitted a Skills Development Fund application February 26 for a training project to support MLTs testing for COVID-19.
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On the anniversary of the first emergency orders in Ontario, we are still advocating for our members. After reading OPSEU/SEFPO’s news release on March 5 calling for “immediate and significant funding to expand the capacity of Ontario’s public health laboratories," we sent this letter of support. On March 10 we sent this letter to Premier Doug Ford, including top cabinet ministers, taking stock of the year and highlighting the human resource shortage as a barrier to increased testing.
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April 29 we met with a variety of different government branches, including Health Workforce Regulatory Oversight, Ontario Health, the Provincial Diagnostic Network, Laboratory and Genetics, Global Health Policy and Research, Accountability and Liaison, Health Quality and Funding Division, and more. Our message of the shortage was confirmed by the group, and they agreed poaching MLTs from other labs is not a solution. They are receptive to potential solutions and have agreed to review our proposal for input prior to submission to the government.
2021 Lobby Day - #MedLabThx
April 2021
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Our lobby day efforts took the form of meetings and a video campaign.
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We got videos with words of thanks from Premier Doug Ford, Hon. Christine Elliott - Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, MPP France Gélinas - Opposition Health Critic, Steven Del Duca - Leader, Ontario Liberal Party, Hon. Monte McNaughton - Minister of Labour, Training & Skills Development, Hon. Jeff Yurek - Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, MPP Billy Pang - Markham Unionville, MPP Jamie West - Sudbury, MPP Effie Triantafilopoulos - Oakville North—Burlington, and MPP Stephen Blais – Orleans. We also got thanks from mayors across the province. Review all the videos and proclamations here: https://www.mlpao.org/thanks.
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We had meetings with MPP France Gelinas (NDP Health Critic), MPP Effie Triantafilopoulos (PC - PA Long-Term Care), MPP Robin Martin (PC - PA Minister of Health) MPP Joel Harden (NDP - Ottawa Centre), MPP John Fraser (LIB - Ottawa South), MPP Chris Glover (NDP - Spadina-Fort York), MPP Billy Pang (PC - Markham—Unionville).