MPP Rickford Announces Support for Healthcare System

December 20, 2022

Ontario Investing Over $1.56 Million in Riverside Health Care Facilities

FORT FRANCES – The Ontario government is investing $874,810 this year to support critical upgrades and repairs at Riverside Health Care Facilities. This funding is part of the government’s investment of over $182 million provided through the Health Infrastructure Renewal Fund and the Community Infrastructure Renewal Fund to 131 hospitals and 65 community health service providers across the province.

“Our government is ensuring health service providers in the Northwest have the facilities and the financial resources to continue providing quality health care services to our community,” said Greg Rickford, MPP for Kenora–Rainy River. “We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our health care partners in Rainy River and will continue to make targeted investments that will lead to improved health outcomes for Northerners.”

Ontario is providing $175 million to hospitals through the Health Infrastructure Renewal Fund and over $7.6 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.

The Ontario government is also providing Riverside Health Care Facilities with following one-time COVID-19 funding programs for the 2022-23 fiscal year:

$323,351 for the Reimbursement of hospitals’ COVID-19 Incremental Operating expenses for the months of April to June 2022;

$68,266 for the Reimbursement of Health Human Resources expenses for the months of April to June 2022;

$295,200 for the 2022-23 fiscal year for Pandemic Prevention and Containment (PPC) costs. This one-time funding is intended to offset a portion of ongoing pandemic-related operating expenses from July 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023 (Q2 to Q4).

“Our government is making investments to ensure Ontario’s hospitals and community health infrastructure continue to be state-of-the-art facilities,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “This funding will also help build the capacity we need to end hallway health care and ensure people continue to receive world-class care.”

Through the 2022 Ontario Budget: Ontario’s Plan to Build, and as part of its plan to build a stronger, more convenient and connected health care system, the government is implementing the most ambitious plan for hospital expansion in Ontario’s history. This includes supporting more than 50 major hospital projects that would add 3,000 new beds over 10 years.

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