The funds will be used to address infrastructure renewal needs, such as roofing repairs or window replacements. Pictured is Port Colborne Urgent Care Centre, one of five Niagara Health sites around the region. Niagara Health received $1.3 million in funding for the 2022-23 fiscal year. Photo credit: City of Port Colborne
The province is supporting critical upgrades and repairs at hospitals and community health service providers around Niagara with a $2,012,386 investment through the Health Infrastructure Renewal Fund and Community Infrastructure Renewal Fund. The funding is part of a $182 million investment to 131 hospitals and 65 community health service providers around the province.
Niagara Health, which operates five sites around the region in St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, Welland, Fort Erie, and Port Colborne, will receive $1,308,967 for the 2022-23 fiscal year. Hotel Dieu Shaver Health and Rehabilitation Centre in St. Catharines will receive $605,237 in provincial support.
“These key investments at Niagara Health and Hotel Dieu Shaver through the Health Infrastructure Renewal Fund, as well as our local health service providers through the Community Infrastructure Renewal Fund, demonstrate the commitment of our government to local health care and hospital infrastructure in Niagara,” said MPP for Niagara West Sam Oosterhoff.
“The support is part of a provincial effort to build capacity and end hallway health care.”
The Oak Centre in Welland will receive $41,576, Arid Recovery Homes in Fort Erie will receive $27,503, and Wayside House of St. Catharines will receive $29,103 through the Community Infrastructure Renewal Fund.
The provincial funding allows health care providers to address urgent infrastructure renewal needs such as upgrades or replacements of roofs, windows, security systems, fire alarms, and back-up generators.
“Niagara Health is appreciative of the government’s ongoing investments in hospitals,” said President and CEO of Niagara Health Lynn Guerriero in a press release regarding the funding.
“The Ontario government has been a strong infrastructure partner of Niagara Health, and this investment will ensure our hospital facilities provide a safe environment for patients and families.”
In addition to the abovementioned funding, Hamilton Health Sciences, which operates West Lincoln Memorial Hospital in Grimsby, will receive $6,080,931.
“Our government is making investments to ensure Ontario’s hospitals and community health infrastructure continue to be state-of-the-art facilities,” said Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Sylvia Jones.
“This funding will also help build the capacity we need to end hallway health care and ensure people continue to receive world-class care.”
As part of its goal to build a stronger, better connected health care system, the provincial government is implementing what it calls “the most ambitious plan for hospital expansion in Ontario’s history.” The plan includes supporting more than 50 major hospital projects that would add 3,000 new beds over ten years.
One of these major hospital projects is a brand new 469-bed, over-$1 billion facility in Niagara Falls at the corners of Montrose and Biggar roads, which is set to break ground in mid-2023 and open in early 2027.
