Surge in seniors and drop in healthcare workers hitting region

The economic region of Huron, Perth, Bruce and Grey counties is facing a rapid surge in its senior population at the same time as there is a disturbing drop in healthcare workers.

The Four County Labour Market Planning Board called the situation “alarming” in its recently released report, “Navigating the Future of Care.”

“Healthcare is definitely a flashing beacon,” said Dana Soucie, executive director of the labour board.

According to the report, from 2014 to 2024 the four-county region had the largest percentage increase in the population aged 65 and older of all economic regions in the province, up 42 per cent.

It is a portion of the population that generally requires more healthcare and has more complex issues than other age groups.

While this population sector was surging, the four-county region experienced a 10 per cent decrease in the number of persons employed in health occupations.

Out of the 11 economic regions in Ontario, the area covering Huron, Perth, Bruce and Grey counties was the only one to see a drop in health-care workers.

“The gap between labour supply in the health-care workforce and demand for health-care services continues to widen, heightening pressures on an already strained sector that is struggling to attract and retain workers,” the report said.

The impacts include forced emergency department closures and extended wait times for patients.

The report cites wage differences and a higher cost of living as factors in driving some workers to leave the region.

The 2025 living wage rate—the hourly income workers need to meet basic expenses—was calculated at $24.60 an hour in the four-county region, the second highest in Ontario just behind the Greater Toronto Area.

But the average overall hourly wage offered in the region has been consistently below the Ontario average, hitting a gap of $5.60 an hour in the first quarter of 2025.

The rural nature of the region also presents challenges for attracting and retaining workers in the health-care sector, the report said.

Possible barriers include housing and other living costs, geographic isolation, increased workloads due to an older population with more complex health concerns, limited resources including outdated equipment, and family concerns such as lack of accessible or affordable childcare options.

Given the shortages in the four-county region, the report concludes it is critical that attraction and retention efforts be prioritized.