Ontario Building Better, More Modern Facilities in Durham Region

Province investing over $2,673,248 for critical care upgrades and repairs connecting Ontarians to care, closer to home

NEWS

DURHAM REGION — As part of Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care, the Ontario government is improving hospital and community care by investing over $2,673,248this year to support critical upgrades and repairs at hospitals and community health facilities in the Region of Durham. This funding is part of the government’s investment of over $208 million provided through the Health Infrastructure Renewal Fund and the Community Infrastructure Renewal Fund to 131 hospitals and 58 community health facilities across the province.

“Our local hospitals and community health facilities have gone above and beyond to provide exceptional care to patients and families in Durham Region,” said Lorne Coe, MPP for Whitby, and Parliamentary Assistant to the Premier. “This investment is another way the Government of Ontario is supporting high-quality and timely access to health care in the Region of Durham so hard-working families can get the care they need, when they need it, close to home.”

“As the MPP representing Pickering-Uxbridge, I am thrilled to see the significant investment by the Ontario government towards critical upgrades and repairs in our hospitals and community health facilities. This investment will positively impact not only patients and healthcare providers but also the overall health and well-being of our region. I am confident that the improvements made through this investment will make a difference in the lives of our constituents and contribute to building a healthier, stronger, and more resilient community for all,” said Peter Bethlenfalvy, MPP for Pickering-Uxbridge.

“These grants help Durham Region hospitals and community health facilities take care of much needed infrastructure upgrades or enhancements,” said Patrice Barnes, MPP for Ajax. “They can continue to serve our community safely, efficiently and with minimal impact to their operations.”

“Our Government remains fully committed to supporting Ontario’s publicly funded healthcare system. These critical support upgrades for Lakeridge Health, Ontario Shores, and Durham Community Health Centre (formerly known as Carea Community Health Centre) clearly demonstrate the timely allocation of resources to where they are needed most” said Todd McCarthy, MPP for Durham. “As one of the fastest growing municipalities in Ontario, these investments through the Health Infrastructure and Community Infrastructure Renewal Fund will provide timely and quality access and care to thousands of Durham residents today and in the years to come.”

Investments through the Health Infrastructure Renewal Fund (HIRF) include:

• $2,344,704 for Lakeridge Health
• $10,000 for Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences

Investments through the Community Infrastructure Renewal Fund (CIRF) include:

• $259,900 for Durham Community Health Centre
• $58,644 for Lakeridge Health

Ontario is providing $200 million to hospitals through the Health Infrastructure Renewal Fund and over $8.4 million to community health service providers through the Community Infrastructure Renewal Fund. This funding from the province allows its health care system partners to address urgent infrastructure renewal needs such as upgrades or replacements of roofs, windows, security systems, fire alarms and back-up generators.

“Ensuring Ontario’s hospitals and community health facilities have the infrastructure in place to deliver the high-quality care patients expect and deserve is a priority for our government,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “This year’s increased funding will help these facilities address priority renewal needs while ensuring people can continue to receive the world-class care they need in a safe and comfortable environment.”

With Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care, the province is moving quickly to expand and modernize Ontario’s hospitals to ensure patients and their families are able to connect to the quality care they need, when they need it, closer to home.

QUOTES

“We’re grateful to our provincial government partners for supporting Lakeridge Health’s mandate to provide high-quality, safe patient care to the people of Durham Region,” said Cynthia Davis, President and CEO, Lakeridge Health. “These funds will address important infrastructure needs of our facilities and ensure they remain viable now and into the future. We look forward to the government’s continued support as we work to increase vital health-care access to our community while achieving our vision of One System. Best Health.”

“As a Community Health Centre that serves community members throughout one of the fastest growing areas in Ontario, we are very grateful to the government for providing us with this invaluable funding that allows us to update our infrastructure to provide a safe and welcoming environment for the clients we support. As the population in Durham region continues to grow, having this funding to extend the life expectancy of our infrastructure means we can not only support community members now, but in the long term as well.”

• Sameer Ali, Chief Strategy Officer, Durham Community Health Centre

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care
• 2023 Ontario Budget: Building a Strong Ontario

QUICK FACTS

• This year, Ontario has increased the Health Infrastructure Renewal Fund by over 14 per cent and the Community Infrastructure Renewal Fund by over 10 per cent.
• Community health facilities are publicly funded and provide a range of programs to patients across the province, including primary care, community mental health and addictions services, allied health care such as physical therapy and respiratory therapy, and programs and services delivered by a public health unit.
• Ontario’s investments over the next 10 years will lead to nearly $50 billion in health infrastructure across the province.
• As of the end of 2022, Ontario approved 50 hospital development projects that will build more than 3,000 new hospital beds in communities across the province over the next 10 years.
• As of the end of 2022, Ontario has approved 50 hospital development projects that will create more than 3,000 new hospital beds in communities across the province by 2032.