On Thursday, the Ontario government announced an investment of $155 million over the next two years to add 57 new community surgical and diagnostic centres licensed to deliver MRI and CT scans and gastrointestinal endoscopy services across the province.
According to Niagara West MPP Sam Oosterhoff, GNMI Medical Imaging in St. Catharines was approved to provide expanded MRI and CT scan services through this investment. GNMI Medical Imaging will receive two additional licenses, doubling the number of MRI machines in Niagara from three to six and increasing the number of CT scanners from five to seven.
The expanded community surgical and diagnostic centre is located at the Greater Niagara Health and Wellness Centre at 464 Welland Avenue in St. Catharines.
“This expansion of diagnostic services in Niagara will help more patients and families across Niagara connect with the critical health care they require, reducing wait times closer to home,” said Oosterhoff. “Our government is taking important steps to protect and renew our health system for today and years to come.”
The overall expansion of MRI and CT scanners and gastrointestinal endoscopy services is designed to connect up to 828,000 more people over the next two years to diagnostic imaging. This, according to the province, will help reduce wait times and ensure patients receive scans within the recommended timeframe.
The hope is that expanded services in St. Catharines will help prevent patients from having to travel to Hamilton or Mississauga to receive diagnostic services within a reasonable timeframe.
“When it comes to wait times for surgeries and procedures, the status quo is not acceptable,” said Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Sylvia Jones. “That is why over government is taking bold, decisive action to protect Ontario’s health-care system by boosting access to vital surgeries and diagnostic imaging so that families can conveniently access the care they need sooner.”
“By licensing fifty-seven new community surgical and diagnostic centres across Ontario, we are reducing wait times and ensuring more people can receive timely care in their community, for years to come,” added Jones.
St. Catharines’ Deputy Mayor Bill Phillips commented on what the move will mean for the local community.
“Bringing this expanded service to St. Catharines means more people will be able to access diagnostic imaging closer to home,” said Phillips. “This expansion will help ease the burden on patients, while ensuring care can move forward where it matters most.”
GNMI Medical Imagine was founded in 2013. Since then, it has become one of the largest medical imaging clinic networks in the province.
Jay Goldberg is the Canadian Affairs Manager at the Consumer Choice Center. He previously served as the Ontario Director at the Canadian Taxpayers Federation and a policy fellow at the Munk School of Public Policy and Global Affairs. Jay holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Toronto.
