North Bay Regional Health Centre President Paul Heinrich says 30 to 40 full time jobs will soon be cut at the health care facility.

He says the cuts started last week when 3 management positions were trimmed, and the latest cuts will take effect in a couple of weeks.

Heinrich says they have to reduce their costs by an additional $5-million despite the fact they’ll be in a balanced budget position in a couple of weeks.

They’re also forecasting a balanced budget next year.

Heinrich  says they are dealing with increased costs due to higher energy costs and the impact of arbitrated wage increases.

He says they haven’t heard from the province about funding increases this year for the hospital.  Heinrich also says they want to be part of the working funds initiative now that they have struck a balanced budget.

The cuts will take place across the hospital in several departments.

 

Meantime, Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli says the North Bay Regional Health Centre is not alone in dealing with budget issues.

He says it’s a familiar story.

Fedeli says the government continues to “rob Peter to pay Paul” and are doing it on the backs of front line health care workers in North Bay and across the province.

He says the government knows the hospitals costs are going up every day, be it in hydro costs or employee salaries, and yet the funding is staying the same.

According to Fedeli, other hospitals that are dealing with higher hydro costs are located in Barrie, Timmins, Windsor, the Sault area and Collingwood.

He says the cuts to hospitals because of higher electricity rates will be the premier’s legacy.