34 jobs eliminated at Hamilton-area LHIN as Ford government merges health agencies

Fifteen employees of the Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant LHINwill lose their jobs as Ontario's governmentmerges the provinces20 regional health networksinto one new, super-agency.

That's on top of another 19 "back-office" roles that are currently vacant and also be eliminated, according to a spokesperson for health minister Christine Elliott.

"None of the impacted positions provide direct patient care," stated Travis Kann in an email to CBC News.

The province is consolidating 14 local health integration networks, Cancer Care Ontario, eHealth Ontario and other agencies into anew organization called Ontario Health.

The local job lossesare part of province-wide cut that will cut825 positions, including 416 "back-office" jobs and 409 positions that are currently unfilled, says Kann.

An official withthe LHIN declined to comment when contacted by CBC News, instead directingall questions to the ministry.

Premier promised no jobs would be lost

The cuts are aimed at getting rid of duplication in areas including communications, human resources, planning, data analytics and financial services, he added.

The government says it expects to save about $250 million in 2019. Kann said that money will be reinvested in "direct patient care" including more long-term care beds,home care and new funding for adental program for low-income seniors.

Kann describedthe move as a "far better use of taxpayer dollars."

Premier Doug Ford repeatedly promised during last year's election that "not a single person will lose their job" under his government.

While speakingnear Sudbury Wednesday, hedenied that he hadbroken that pledge, adding the qualifier "front-line" to his original promise.

"I'll stick with my quote: 'No front-line person will lose a job."