Cutting funding to public health units “puts the prosperity of our communities and of our entire province at risk,” warn 10 former Ontario health ministers — PC, Liberal and NDP — in a letter to Christine Elliott outlining their concerns with the Ford government’s plans.

Their open letter to the health minister, to be released Thursday, says such cuts make “no economic sense” because “much of the work that public health does is preventative. Public health services prevent disease outbreaks, keep our water clean, vaccinate our children, and provide school breakfast programs to children in need. The 2019 Ontario budget puts this vital work at risk.”

The letter also says that “public health in Ontario is now facing millions of dollars in cuts this year; billions of dollars in the coming years. Public health officials and elected leaders across Ontario have rightfully spoken out against these cuts and the danger they pose to critical and often life-saving public health programs. Municipalities from across the province have been clear that they cannot make up the difference created by these cuts.

“This cutting of public health services cannot go forward. It puts the prosperity of our communities and of our entire Province at risk. Funding must be restored.”

Signatories to the letter include Progressive Conservative Dennis Timbrell; Liberals Dr. Eric Hoskins, Dr. Helena Jaczek, David Caplan, Elinor Caplan, Deb Matthews and George Smitherman; and New Democrats Evelyn Gigantes, Ruth Grier and now-Senator Frances Lankin.

The former ministers also note that “traditionally, ministers of health have avoided commenting on the policies of their successors. Health has been seen as a non-partisan issue — something we all support. This attack on public health has prompted us to break our silence.

“We implore you, Minister Elliott, to stop these drastic cuts and find a way to move forward that doesn’t risk our public health services.”

Premier Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives have come under fire for their spring budget, with recent polls showing its cuts are deeply unpopular with Ontarians.

The most recent poll showed three out of every four surveyed think the government is on the “wrong track” due in part to the public health cuts, which merge 35 public health units into 10 and cut $200 million from their budgets.

Elliott has defended the changes, saying that week that “the modernization of our public health system is something that we’ve been working on for months.

“We want to make sure that our local public health units are going to be able to respond to issues that are going to come up from time to time. There are outbreaks of certain diseases. That’s going to continue, so we need to be ready.”

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