Hospital cuts continue to deepen at the North Bay Regional Health Centre with 10 Registered Nurses receiving layoff notices.

A member of the Ontario Nurses’ Association told The Nugget 10 Registered Nurses positions were eliminated Monday as part of an effort to reduce the health centre’s $14 million deficit.

The news comes the same day as the health centre announces 26 job cuts within the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) bargaining unit.

Most of those affected positions are both full-time and part-time personal support workers and clerical staff.

It’s unknown how many jobs within the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) have been eliminated.

The Nugget reached out to OPSEU for comment.

Hospital spokeswoman Kim McElroy said the health centre met union partners Monday to notify them of changes impacting 36 positions across ONA, Canadian Union of Public Employees and Ontario Public Service Employees Union.

She said 11 of these are vacant positions and 14 new positions will be added.

“These changes come from two places; adjustments to the mix of healthcare providers on our units and looking at how we can run our services as efficiently as possible,” McElroy told The Nugget Tuesday.

“Patient needs are growing more complex as the population ages and the burden of chronic illness increases. Older adults are more likely to live with multiple coexisting conditions. Realigning our skill mix allows more frequent clinical assessment, closer monitoring and more timely response to changes in patient condition.”

McElroy said like hospitals across Ontario North Bay Regional Health Centre is operating in a challenging financial environment and in a system that continues to face ongoing pressures.

“We’re making responsible decisions to sustain services and use our resources wisely. The savings via these changes are about $1 million, which is 0.3 per cent of our $350 million budget.”

The $14 million is a projected deficit and not a deficit we have already run.

“It reflects where we expect to land if we make no changes.”

McElroy said non-union positions are not impacted by these changes.

“Ten per cent of our employees are non-union and the majority of these roles (seven per cent) are non-management. Additionally, over the last three years we have seen an increase of 153 unionized employees compared to an increase of four non-union employees to align with patient needs for new programming and services,” she said, noting the new programs include Nipissing Specialized Geriatric Clinic, Critical Care Response Team (CCRT) and Hospital to Home Mental Health Program.

The Nugget asked what other cost-saving measures the health centre is doing to reduce the projected deficit?

“The hospital is considering include negotiating better pricing through group contracting services for purchasing and improved practices with sick and overtime.”

The health centre confirmed last month they are projecting a $14 million deficit this fiscal year.

How that deficit was reached also hasn’t been explained.

From July 2025 to July 2026, the health centre received more than $22 million in additional funding from the provincial government.

In July, Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli announced $3.7 million in additional funding for hospital operations.

Jennifer Hamilton-McCharles joined the North Bay Nugget newsroom in 2000. Born and raised in North Bay, and a graduate of Nipissing University and Canadore College, her work has been recognized with provincial and national awards for breaking news and investigative journalism. She is an active member on several board of directors and recognizes this as one way she can contribute to her community.