Ontario is investing in the health and safety of patients as it addresses urgent upgrades, repairs and maintenance to help modernize 131 hospitals across the province.
Today, Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MPP Bill Walker visited local hospitals in Hanover, Durham and Owen Sound to announce that they are receiving a combined $4,840,161 in funding to maintain their infrastructure and ensure a safe and comfortable environment for patients to receive care. This is part of the government’s investment of $175 million this year through the Health Infrastructure Renewal Fund (HIRF) to support hospitals across Ontario.
“These investments will help ensure that patients at our hospitals in Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound can receive the care they need in a safe and comfortable setting,” said Walker. “Seemingly small things like well-functioning roofs, windows or heating and air conditioning systems, fire alarms and back-up generators can make the world of difference to a patient’s experience. This funding will help ensure that hospitals across Ontario are able to make the needed upgrades and improvements, so patients and families have access to the reliable, quality care they expect and deserve.”
Hanover and District Hospital is receiving $184,581, Grey Bruce Health Services (with hospitals in Lion’s Head, Markdale, Meaford, Owen Sound, Southampton and Wiarton) is receiving $2,831,982 and South Bruce Grey Health Centre (with hospitals in Chesley, Durham, Kincardine and Walkerton) is receiving $1,823,598.
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“Ontario has a plan to build a connected and sustainable public health care system centred around the needs of patients, including investing $27 billion over 10 years in hospital infrastructure projects,” said Walker. “Maintaining hospital infrastructure is one more example of how we are working towards ensuring that Ontarians have the health care services they can depend on while building the capacity we need to end hallway health care.”
“This is the second consecutive year that SBGHC has received a significant capital investment from the Government of Ontario to ensure the infrastructure of our hospital sites can continue to meet the needs of the patients we serve,” says Michael Barrett, SBGHC President and CEO. “SBGHC intends to use this funding on various projects at all four of our sites, with the largest project being the installation of a sprinkler system at our Durham site to meet the requirement for all hospitals to have full sprinkler systems by 2025.”
“Most people who come into the hospital will never see the boilers, the new roofs, the sprinkler system or the security systems, but these are critical items that allow our healthcare system to function safely,” said Gary Sims, President and CEO of Grey Bruce Health Services. “We could not deliver quality patient care without this dedicated fund for infrastructure renewal from the provincial government, and we are very grateful for this support.”
“We would like to thank the provincial government for the Health Infrastructure Renewal funding. This funding is integral to the maintenance of our hospital in order to provide high-quality care for our patients,” said Hanover and District Hospital President and CEO Dana Howes.
“Healthcare impacts everyone and is always a priority. I am pleased our government continues to work toward bringing Ontario’s world class health care system into the 21st century, this funding will help hospitals to address urgent issues,” said Walker.
Ontario is investing $175 million in repairs and upgrades to 131 hospitals this year through the Health Infrastructure Renewal Fund and, in addition, is investing $7.2 million to address ongoing urgent and/or emergent infrastructure renewal needs for community health service providers who met specific criteria on a priority basis, through the Community Infrastructure Renewal Fund.
