Oosterhoff announces $20.8 million in new operational funding for Niagara hospitals

On Tuesday, the Ford government announced plans to invest $20.8 million to support improved operations and reduce wait times at Niagara Health sites across the region and Hotel Dieu Shaver Health and Rehabilitation Centre in St. Catharines. 

“Our government continues to provide record funding for hospitals across the province, including year-over-year increases in operational funding for Niagara Health and Hotel Dieu Shaver Health and Rehabilitation Centre,” said Oosterhoff. “With the completion of the new West Lincoln Memorial Hospital in Grimsby and the ongoing construction of the new South Niagara Hospital in Niagara Falls, the province is adding nearly 600 new beds across Niagara.” 

“These critical projects are increasing capacity, reducing wait times and bringing state of the art technology to our region,” added Oosterhoff.

The funding is specifically designed to keep emergency departments open, support wage pressures, and reduce wait times for diagnostic imaging and surgical procedures. The government’s overall goal, according to Oosterhoff, is to connect people to care faster. 

The announcement of $20.8 million in new funding comes on the heels of an announcement last month of the expansion of diagnostic services in Niagara. Thanks to additional provincial licensing, GNMI Medical Imaging in St. Catharines was approved to provide expanded MRI and CT Scan services, doubling the number of MRI machines in Niagara and increasing the number of CT scanners. 

“We appreciate this investment from the province, which will help Niagara Health address rising operational costs while continuing to provide high-quality care to patients and families across our region,” said President and Chief Executive Officer of Niagara Health Lynn Guerriero. 

“Together with ongoing investments in hospital infrastructure, including the new South Niagara Hospital and Welland Hospital, this funding strengthens our ability to deliver hospital care for the people of Niagara,” Guerriero added. 

Dr. David Ceglie, Chief Executive Officer of Hotel Dieu Shaver Health and Rehabilitation Centre, also offered a statement thanking the provincial government for its support. 

“Investments such as this from the Ontario government enable us to continue delivering the highest quality care, invest in our people and services and ensure patients across Niagara receive the compassionate, specialized care they deserve,” said Ceglie. 

“We are extremely appreciative of the province’s continued partnership and support as we advance our capital expansion project,” added Ceglie. “We look forward to the next phase of provincial investment that will support the addition of sixty-two new in-patient rehabilitation beds for Niagara residents.”

“This significant expansion will enhance access to specialized rehabilitation services, reduce wait times and help ensure more patients can receive the care they need, closer to home.” 

Hotel Dieu Shaver Health and Rehabilitation Centre is Niagara’s only rehabilitation hospital and provides care for patients across Niagara, while Niagara Health provides acute hospital care services across the region.