TO THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO:
WHEREAS the Ontario government has underfunded optometric eye care for 30 years;
AND WHEREAS optometrists now subsidize the delivery of OHIP-covered eye care by $173M a year;
AND WHEREAS COVID-19 forced optometrists to close their doors resulting in a 75%-plus drop in revenue;
AND WHEREAS optometrists will see patient volumes reduced between 40% and 60% resulting in more than two million comprehensive eye exams being wiped out over the next 12 months;
AND WHEREAS communities across Ontario are in danger of losing access to optometric care;
THEREFORE, we the undersigned petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to instruct the Ontario government to immediately establish a timetable and a process for renewed negotiations concerning optometry fees.