About 20 placard-carrying protesters staged a rally outside a provincial government pre-budget hearing in Point Edward Thursday.
The Sarnia-Lambton Health Coalition, OPSEU, Unifor, the elementary teachers federation, and New Democrat MPPs were among those demonstrating at the Holiday Inn.
They say the Doug Ford PCs plan to cut $22 billion in provincial revenues, impacting everything from healthcare to education, transportation, and social services.
NDP Finance Critic Sandy Shaw said they're particularly worried about our healthcare system.
"We've heard heartbreaking stories of people's experiences with hallway healthcare. I have the stories with my father, and almost everyone has an experience when they go to the hospital to get a service that they expect to be there and it's not. I think people are shocked by the service that they're receiving-- people waiting in hospital hallways, not even in beds and stretchers, it's unbelievable," said Shaw.
Sarnia-Lambton Health Coalition Chair Shirley Roebuck said Ontarians simply can't afford any more cuts.
"I hope this sends the message that there's not just a few crazies that believe in public healthcare out here. So many groups across the board are here telling them we want public healthcare and public programs to be funded properly and be restored for the benefit of the people."
The provincial government will hold two more pre-budget hearings in Kitchener-Waterloo and Peterborough before consultations close February 8.
Delegations from the elementary teachers federation, Lambton College, St. Clair Child and Youth Services, and Bio-Industrial Innovation Canada were being heard at the Point Edward meeting.
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