MEDIA ADVISORY: Huge People’s Referendum to stop the privatization of Ontario’s public hospitals planned Friday & Saturday

/EIN News/ -- Attn: Assignment Editor

Almost a thousand voting stations will be staffed by thousands of volunteers in a massive effort to force the Ford government to respect democratic process and input on their hospital privatization plans

Vote counting & results announcement information listed here

TORONTO, May 25, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A map listing all voting stations across the province is available online at https://publichospitalvote.ca/find-voting-station This is what it looks like (below). On the website, you can zoom in for details and a list by region is below the map. Media are invited to go and see the voting taking place at voting stations across Ontario.

Map I: Southern Ontario to Northeast Ontario is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d657a135-5476-4929-9cd1-c3bfe3fd887c

Map II: Northwestern Ontario is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/67de2079-6701-4558-82c3-eaf7e868a1c2

• Online voting is also available for all Ontario residents at PublicHospitalVote.ca
• Voting closes on Saturday, May 27 at midnight.
• At time of writing, more than 160,000 votes have been received online and in advance polls.

Province-wide results will be announced outside Queen’s Park on Wednesday May 31 at 10 a.m.
A massive pile of ballots from the people’s referendum will be brought in from across Ontario and piled in front of the Legislature to be delivered to the government.
Local health coalitions across the province will be counting ballots on Saturday evening May 27 or Sunday May 28 as listed below and announcing results locally on Tuesday, May 30 as listed below.
Media contact: Natalie Mehra, executive director, Ontario Health Coalition 416-230-6402 (cell).

List of contacts and information for media to view vote counting and receive local/province-wide results:

Algoma Region:

• Vote results will be announced outside Roy Romano’s office at 390 Bay St, Sault Ste. Marie at 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 30.
• Media contact: Albert Dupuis 613-808-7710, aldupuis@rogers.com

Atikokan Region:

• Media contact: Diana Coulomb 807-598-1189

Chatham-Kent:

• Vote counting will take place at 36 Plantation Place, Chatham at 9 a.m. Sunday, May 28.
• Vote results will be announced on Tuesday, May 30 at 10 AM outside the front entrance of Sydenham District Hospital in Wallaceburg.
• Media contact: Shirley Roebuck 226-402 2724, goddess@bell.net     

Cornwall & Region:

• Vote counting will take place at the Automotive Room in the Benson Centre, Cornwall, starting at noon, Sunday, May 28.
• Vote results will be announced on Tuesday, May 30 at 10 am in front of the Cornwall Community Hospital, on McConnell Avenue, midway between the emergency entrance and the general parking entrance.
• Media contact: Louise Lanctot 613-932-1943, louiselanctot18@gmail.com

Durham Region:

• Vote counting will take place at Valleyview Clubhouse, 81 Gladstone Ave., Oshawa starting at 10 a.m. on Sunday, May 28.
• Vote results will be announced outside Lakeridge Health in Alexandra Park at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, May 30.
• Media contact: Pam Parks 905-447-1124, president20226364@hotmail.com

Fort Frances:

• Media contact: Richard McKinnon 807-274-5013.

Guelph & Wellington County:

• Vote counting will take place at 7 Sugarbush Place, Guelph, starting at 1 pm, Sunday, May 28.
  
• Vote results will be announced on Monday, May 29 at 10 am at 116 Gordon St, Guelph ON at Speed River beside Boathouse Tea Room.
  
• Media contact: Karen Rathwell, 519-362-7615, guelphdistricthealthcoalition@gmail.com

Grey Bruce:

• Vote counting for the northern half of the region, including Meaford, Town of Blue Mountains (Thornbury, Clarksburg), Owen Sound, Rockford, Eugenia will take place on Sunday, May 28, at 107 Kiowana Beach Rd., Meaford.
• Media contact:  Norah Beatty 519-477-3513, greybrucecountyhc@gmail.com
• Vote counting for the southern half of Grey-Bruce will take place on Sunday, May 28 in the afternoon at 105 8th Street South East in Chesley under the supervision of Shawn Morrow, a well-respected local business person.
• Media contact: Brenda Scott 519-375-5812, bscott6176@yahoo.ca

Haliburton:

• Vote counting will take place at 1 pm on Sunday, May 28 at the Haliburton Highlands Outdoor Association, 6712 Gelert Rd.
• Vote results will be announced at 10 am on Tuesday, May 30 at Head Lake Park in Haliburton Village near the Information Center. 
• Media contact: Bonnie Roe 705-457-6579, Hhltccoalition@gmail.com

Halton Region:

• For vote counting and results please contact Trudi Ford, 905-580-7962, trudiford@cogeco.ca

Kingston & Region:

• Vote counting will take place at 393 Knightsbridge Road, Kingston on Sunday, May 28 at noon.
• Vote results will be announced at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, May 30 at the corner of Princess and Concession Sts.
• Media contact: Joan Jardin 613-305-2716, kingstonhealthcoalition@gmail.com

London:

• Vote counting will take place starting at 11 a.m., Sunday May 28 at London Health Coalition Referendum HQ/Reimagineco 206 Piccadilly St, London
• Vote results will be announced at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, May 30 at London Health Coalition Referendum HQ/Reimagineco 206 Piccadilly St, London
• Contact Peter Bergmanis 519-860-4403

Muskoka Region:

• Vote results will be announced in front of Graydon Smith MPP’s office, 230 Manitoba St., Bracebridge at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, May 30.
• Media contact: Sandra.ashcroft@ufcw175.com

Niagara Region:

• Vote results will be announced at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, May 30 in front of the St. Catharines Hospital at the corner of 4^th Avenue and First Avenue Louth.
• Media contact: Sue Hotte 905-932-1646, niagarahealthcoalition@yahoo.ca

Norfolk County:

• Vote counting will take place at 19 Somerset Drive, Port Dover on Saturday evening May 27.
• Vote results will be announced on Tuesday, May 30 at 11 a.m. at Powell Park, 250 Main St., Port Dover.
• Media contact: Gail Heald-Taylor 519-428-6083, ghealdtaylor@outlook.com

North Bay and Region:

• Vote counting will take place on Sunday May 28 at 11 a.m. at the Campaign office 335 Main Street East North Bay. 
• Vote results will be announced on Tuesday, May 30 at 10 a.m. the OPSEU office,150 First St. East.
• Media contact: Henri Giroux 705-471-1146, hgiroux1@hotmail.com

Ottawa:

• Vote counting will take place at The Spot Community Room at the Carlingwood Shopping Centre, 2121 Carling Avenue, Ottawa on Sunday, May 28 from 12 – 3 p.m.
• For vote results on Tuesday, May 30 please contact Ed Cashman at 343-999-6886, Ottawahealthco@gmail.com.

Peel Region:

• Vote counting will take place at 1022 Franconia Dr, Mississauga on Sunday, May 28, starting at 11 a.m.
• Vote results will be announced at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, May 30 outside Trillium Health Partners Mississauga Hospital, 77 Queensway West, on the sidewalk, north side of the hospital.
• Media contact: Mohammad Aumeer, 416-770-7858, mohammad.aumeer@gmail.com

Peterborough Region:

• Vote counting will take place on Sunday May 28 from 10 a.m. until completed at the campaign office in the Maple Ridge Plaza, 1840 Lansdowne St. W. Peterborough.
• Vote results will be announced on Tuesday May 30 at 10 a.m. at the campaign office in Maple Ridge Plaza 1840 Lansdowne St W. Peterborough. 
• Media contact: Marion Burton 705 868-7352, marionburton@nexicom.net  

Renfrew County:

• Vote counting will take place at 2 p.m. on Sunday May 28 at the Giant Tiger, 171 Alexander St #1, Pembroke.
• Vote results will be announced on Tuesday May 30 time and location TBA.
• Media contact: Leona Haley 613-602-1646

Sarnia-Lambton:

• Vote counting will take place at the Dunlop United Church, 757 Rosedale Ave., Sarnia on Sunday, May 28 at 12:30 p.m.
• Vote results will be announced in front of the Sydenham District Hospital in Wallaceburg at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, May 30.
• Media contact: June Weiss 519-466-3372, junebug111@hotmail.com

Simcoe County:

• Vote counting will take place at the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario office, 351 King St. #3, Barrie starting at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, May 28.
• Vote results will be announced on Tuesday, May 30 at 11:30 a.m. in the Sunnidale Park Arboretum at 265 Sunnidale Road, Barrie.
• Media contact: Anisa Carrascal 647-835-7870, simcoecountyhc@gmail.com

Stratford:

• Vote counting will take place at 9 Douro Street, Stratford on Saturday May 27 starting at 6:30 p.m.
  
• Vote results: media contact Sharon Sippel (519) 276-1291

Toronto:

• Vote counting will take place at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, May 28 at USW Hall, 25 Cecil St.
• Toronto results will be announced with the Ontario-wide results on Wednesday, May 31 at 10 a.m. outside the Main Legislative Building, Queen’s Park, Toronto. Volunteers from communities across Ontario will come in to the city with their ballots and create a huge pile in front of the Legislature.
• Media contact: Carolyn Egan 416-806-7985, greatertorontohc@gmail.com

Thunder Bay:

• Vote counting will take place on Sunday, May 28 starting at 1 p.m. at the OPSEU Regional Office, 326 Memorial Ave.
• Vote results will be announced on Tuesday May 30th at 2:00pm at the OPSEU Regional Office, 326 Memorial Ave.
• Media contact: Jules Tupker 807-627-6249, jtupker@tbaytel.net

Waterloo Region:

• Vote counting will take place at the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario-Waterloo Region Office 610 Wabanaki Dr Kitchener ON on Sunday May 28 from 12 - 5 p.m.
• Vote results will be announced on Tuesday, May 30 at 8:30 AM outside the Main Entrance to Grand River Hospital, 835 King St W., Kitchener.
• Media contact: Jim Stewart 519 588 5841 waterlooregionhealthcoalition@gmail.com

Windsor:

• Vote counting will take place at Chapter Two Brewery, 2345 Edna St., Windsor, Sunday May 28, 12 -2 p.m.
• Vote results will be announced on Tuesday, May 30 at 10am at the Southeast corner of Prince Road and Glenfield St, Windsor, next to the new Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare site.
• Media contact: Patrick Hannon 519-796-0410, PatrickJHannonM@gmail.com

More information will be provided as we get details in from volunteers across Ontario.

For more information: Natalie Mehra, executive director (416) 230-6402 text or call.