$6.3 million in additional funding will help people access care, close to home
The Ontario government is investing $6.3 million in Southlake Regional Health Centre to support faster, more connected care for people in Newmarket, Aurora and the surrounding communities. This funding includes $4 million to help people access surgical care and $2.3 million to support critical infrastructure upgrades and repairs.
“A vital step in our commitment to ensuring residents can access more connected and convenient care, close to home,” said Dawn Gallagher Murphy, MPP for Newmarket-Aurora. “With this investment of more than $6.3 million announced today, Southlake will support the stabilization and management of their surgical system, maximizing capacity to increase the number of surgeries performed. The health renewal fund will provide urgent infrastructure needs to allow Southlake to continue their important work to meet the needs of our community.”
The Ontario government is continuing to make health care more connected and convenient across the province to ensure patients are provided with the right care in the right place. Through the 2024 Budget, the government invested an additional $965 million to help publicly funded hospitals in Ontario meet the needs of the communities they serve now, and for years to come. This includes funding for stabilization and management of the surgical system, with a focus on maximizing capacity to increase the number of surgeries performed to provide the people of Ontario the care they need with shorter wait times. Southlake will receive $4 million as part of this funding.
“Our government is continuing to make record investments in our publicly funded healthcare system to connect families across the province to the care they need, when they need it,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “This unprecedented investment in our hospitals will ensure they can continue to deliver high quality care while reducing wait lists and wait times in their communities, for years to come.”
In addition, the government is investing $2.3 million to support critical infrastructure upgrades and repairs at Southlake through the Health Infrastructure Renewal Fund (HIRF). HIRF funding is used by hospitals to address infrastructure renewal needs such as upgrades or replacements of roofs, windows, security systems, fire alarms and back-up generators. These are essential improvements that will create a safer, more comfortable space for people and their families connecting to care and services. Across the province, 129 hospitals and 58 community health care facilities are receiving a total of $228 million through the Health Infrastructure Renewal Fund in 2024/25.
Through Your Health: A Plan For Connected and Convenient Care, the Ontario government is expanding access to key services to provide people with the right care, in the right place, close to come.
QUOTES
“Southlake is proudly celebrating 100 years of leading edge care, closer to home. This legacy is one we are proud to continue. This $4 million will help staff, medical staff, volunteers and learners deliver leading edge surgical care, closer to home.”
- Puneet Sandhu, Director, Surgical and Maternal Child Programs at Southlake
“When people visit a hospital, they are usually aware of the physical space in front of them, but there is so much more behind the scenes including important building systems. The 2024/25 Healthcare Infrastructure Renewal Fund funding will enable more renovations that will improve the resiliency of Southlake’s building systems so that patients can receive leading edge care.”
- Nathan Robinson, Director, Capital Development at Southlake
“Southlake is our community’s greatest asset. It’s great to see the Ontario Government making additional investments in Southlake. Improving access to care and providing the best possible physical environment for the people who care for those who live here are integral to maintaining this asset and building a healthier community.”
- John Taylor, Mayor of Newmarket
QUICK FACTS
- The province’s $965 million investment through Budget 2024, represents a four per cent increase in funding for Ontario’s hospital sector for the second year in a row.
- Since 2018, the Ontario government has added over 3,500 beds across the province. Over the next 10 years, Ontario’s investments will lead to nearly $50 billion in more than 50 health infrastructure projects across the province, adding 3,000 more new beds.
- To allow health system partners to address their infrastructure needs, the Ontario government is investing an additional $620 million over 10 years through the Health Infrastructure Renewal Fund and the Community Infrastructure Renewal Fund.
- The government is also investing an additional $500 million over 10 years for small hospital projects and community health programs.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
