MPP Rickford Announces Support for Hospital Infrastructure in Fort Frances

September 14, 2023

FORT FRANCES — The Ontario government is improving hospital and community care by investing $383,446 in Riverside Health Care Facilities to support critical infrastructure upgrades at La Verendrye General Hospital. 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 government recognizes the unique challenges faced by health care providers, particularly in the Northwest,” said Greg Rickford, Member of Provincial Parliament for Kenora – Rainy River. “Through the Health Infrastructure Renewal Fund, our investment in the La Verendrye General Hospital supports a new backup generator, ensuring reliable access to care for families in Fort Frances and surrounding areas.”

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 is focused on addressing urgent infrastructure renewal upgrades so that hospitals and health care facilities can focus on supporting patients and families of those in need of care.

“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.

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.

QUOTES

“The province recently announced $383,446 in Hospital Infrastructure Renewal Funding to support upgrades to critical infrastructure at Riverside Health Care’s La Verendrye General Hospital.  The replacement of one of our generators at LVGH will be supported through this funding, enabling us to sustain essential backup power should the hospital experience a planned or unplanned power outage. This equipment is essential to ensuring the delivery of quality health care services during such events.”

  • Henry Gauthier, President and CEO of Riverside Healthcare

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES