What is the current staffing situation in Ontario's medical labs?

As of December 2025, 68% of medical labs in Ontario are experiencing a shortage of medical lab technologists, leading to potential delays in test results.

Why is the MLPAO requesting funding from the province?

The MLPAO is seeking $6 million over three years to fund training positions for educators in labs, which would allow more student placements and help address the critical shortage of medical lab technologists.

How do student placements affect lab staffing in Ontario?

Student placements are crucial for training future medical lab technologists. However, understaffed labs struggle to accommodate these placements, creating a bottleneck in the supply of new professionals.

Home / Health / Ontario Labs Face Critical Staff Shortage

Ontario Labs Face Critical Staff Shortage

14 Dec

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Summary

Sixty-eight percent of Ontario medical labs report staff shortages.
MLT students require clinical placements for graduation.
Province's funding could enable 37% of labs to take students.

Ontario Labs Face Critical Staff Shortage

Medical laboratories throughout Ontario are grappling with severe understaffing, impacting the timely delivery of essential diagnostic services. A recent survey by the Medical Laboratory Professionals Association of Ontario (MLPAO) revealed that 68% of labs face a shortage of medical lab technologists, professionals crucial for analyzing patient samples and disease outbreak investigations. This ongoing deficit is leading to extended wait times for critical test results, including those for cancer and STIs.

The MLPAO highlights that a significant bottleneck exists in training new technologists. Students in medical lab technology programs are mandated to complete clinical placements, but many labs have waitlists due to their own staffing constraints. The association is advocating for provincial investment, specifically requesting $6 million over three years to support the creation of funded positions for educators in labs, which could enable 37% more labs to host student placements.