File Photo.
To no one’s surprise, North Bay Mayor Al McDonald is just as frustrated with the announcement of 158 job losses at the North Bay Regional Health Centre as everyone else.
The mayor called Wednesday’s news ‘devastating’ and says there’s no doubt the impact will be felt.
“Obviously it affects our community in the amount of jobs lost in our community. We do everything we can from a municipal government perspective of trying to attract business and industry to our community, we get ten jobs here, thirty jobs there then you lose 158 jobs, it’s discouraging.”
The mayor says adding to the frustration was that the decision affects the local economy at a time when he’s working to try and encourage health care professionals to move here.
He says the job losses won’t change that focus, saying with an aging population the need is still there.
McDonald also feels it’s crucial that those looking for health care jobs and those looking to hire health care workers locally find each other.
“We’re trying to put these groups together but there’s no question on our health care system is getting heavier and heavier as we get older.”
McDonald says he’s also thinking about those that are outside the hospital.
With the loss of jobs, and the closure of beds, the trickle-down effect to social service agencies will soon be something of a flood.
“The stress that it causes within the community, the stress on our budgets, the social welfare of these individuals is concerning there’s no question. You’re hearing the headline news of the loss of 158 jobs there’s incredible pressure as we keep going down the different layers so absolutely we’re concerned about this.”
McDonald says at this point, the best he can do is work with the hospital behind the scenes to try and improve the situation in order to avoid more announcements like Wednesday's.
