Part of over $1.1 billion investment to support operational improvements and ensure Ontarians can continue to access high-quality hospital care in their community
The Ontario government is investing $16.6 million to support improved operations, reduce wait times, and complete upgrades and repairs at Southlake Health. This funding includes a $12.9 million annual increase in Southlake’s operational funding, as well as $3.7 million from the Health Infrastructure Renewal Fund (HIRF).
“This $16.6 million investment in Southlake Health is an investment in the health and well-being of our entire community,” said Dawn Gallagher Murphy, MPP for Newmarket—Aurora. “By increasing annual operating funding and supporting critical infrastructure upgrades, we are helping Southlake reduce wait times, strengthen patient care and ensure our health-care professionals have the resources and facilities they need to deliver exceptional care. I am proud that our government continues to support Southlake as it grows and evolves to meet the needs of families across Newmarket—Aurora and the surrounding communities.”
The $12.9 million investment is part of the government’s larger $1.1 billion investment in Ontario’s hospital sector as part of Budget 2026, A Plan to Protect Ontario, which includes a four per cent increase in annual support for Ontario hospitals for the fourth year in a row.
The $3.7 million investment is part of Ontario’s broader investment of over $266 million through the Health Infrastructure Renewal Fund (HIRF) to support infrastructure upgrades, maintenance and repairs at 126 hospitals across the province. HIRF enables health-care system partners to address urgent infrastructure needs. For Southlake, this will include priority projects such as upgrades to emergency power systems, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning infrastructure, and infection prevention and control measures that will enhance safety for patients and staff and extend the life of the hospital’s current facilities
By funding critical updates, the government also enables hospitals to make other upgrades that enhance the patient experience. This year, the money that Southlake would have allocated to those priority projects had they not been funded through HIRF will be used to renew the lobby in the East Building, improving accessibility and safety for patients and visitors when they arrive. Since 2024, the Ontario government has increased funding through HIRF by 10 per cent each year, allowing even more hospitals to complete upgrades and repairs in a timely manner.
“Providing the best possible care for patients means ensuring health-care teams have the resources they need today, while continuing to invest in the facilities that will serve our communities for years to come,” said Paul Woods, MD, President and CEO, Southlake Health. “We are grateful to the Government of Ontario for its continued partnership and investment in Southlake. This funding will help strengthen our financial health, maintain safe and reliable hospital infrastructure, and support a strong foundation as we build a Distributed Health Network that continues to deliver leading edge care, close to home.”
Ontario continues to make historic investments in health care. Over the next 10 years, Ontario is investing approximately $64 billion in major health infrastructure. This is part of the government’s plan to get shovels in the ground on more than 50 major hospital projects across the province, which will deliver approximately 3,000 new hospital beds to enhance access to quality care and build a connected, people-first health-care system.
“Our government is making historic investments to protect Ontario’s health-care system, ensuring that more people in northern York Region and southern Simcoe County can connect to the care they need, where and when they need it,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “This investment will allow Southlake Health to continue delivering the highest standard of care while reducing wait lists and wait times for patients and families, for generations to come.”
Through Your Health: A Plan For Connected and Convenient Care, the Ontario government is modernizing hospitals, building new health-care facilities, and expanding access to key services to provide people with the right care, in the right place, close to come.
QUICK FACTS
- Southlake Health, which serves residents across northern York Region and southern Simcoe County, has a total operating budget in excess of $600 million.
- The Ontario government has endorsed Southlake’s vision to become a Distributed Health Network (DHN) over the next decade. The province’s endorsement is supported by a $10 million investment that will be used to plan for the redevelopment of Southlake’s existing Davis Drive campus and the construction of a second acute care hospital in East Gwillimbury.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
- 2026 Ontario Budget: A Plan to Protect Ontario
- Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care
Please note: This release was originally published by the office of Dawn Gallagher Murphy, MPP Newmarket-Aurora.
