Province commits billions to Trillium Health Partners
The Ontario government has committed even more funding to another large hospital project.
In late November, the government pledged to support construction of the 1Door4Care project at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario in Ottawa. In October, Premier Doug Ford was on hand in Windsor to commit nearly $10 million to support planning for a new acute care mega-hospital in the region.
The province’s announcement in Mississauga on December 1 trumped both of those, however. Ford announced his government would provide billions of dollars to Trillium Health Partners to build a new, state-of-the-art Mississauga Hospital and to expand the Queensway Health Centre.
“This investment represents the largest hospital renewal plan in Ontario’s history,” said the premier. “This pandemic has reminded us of the importance of having ready access to hospital beds when they’re needed most. Our government will never waver in our efforts to protect our progress by delivering modern hospitals with more beds to meet the needs of our growing communities today and for generations to come.”
The new, fully redeveloped Mississauga Hospital is anticipated to include one of the largest emergency departments the province, increase the number of operating rooms and add over 350 new beds. The redevelopment plans also include a new inpatient care tower at the Queensway Health Centre to centralize complex continuing care and rehabilitation services for patients, while also adding over 150 new beds.
Over the next 20 years, the demand for health care services offered by Trillium Health Partners is expected to increase by nearly seven times more than the average hospital in Ontario as the Peel and Etobicoke communities continue to grow. The province’s investment will add over 600 more hospital beds and expand services to improve access to care and reduce wait times for patients in Peel Region, Etobicoke and surrounding communities.
Infrastructure Ontario’s latest P3 Market Update document estimates the total capital cost of the project to be in excess of $2 billion. The project is tipped to be delivered under IO’s new progressive P3 model because of its size and complexity, with the request for proposals for the project development partner scheduled to be released this winter, and a proponent chosen by the end of 2022.
“Our government made a commitment to end hallway health care and build a better, connected health care system centred on the needs of patients. This new investment to support THP’s redevelopment is just one way we are delivering on that commitment,” said Health Minister Christine Elliott. “Together, we are ensuring that patients and families in Peel Region will continue to have access to high-quality care for generations to come and ensure our health care system is prepared to respond to any scenario.”
Trillium Health Partners is one of the largest community hospital systems in Canada. It serves more than 1.7 million patients annually in Mississauga, West Toronto and surrounding communities across its three sites: Credit Valley Hospital, the Mississauga Hospital and the Queensway Health Centre.
In 2019, the government provided Trillium Health Partners with an additional $12.5 million to support planning for the redevelopment project, bringing the hospital’s total planning grant to up to $17.5 million.
In addition, the government has increased Trillium Health Partners’ operating funding for the third straight year. Starting in 2021–22, the hospital will receive over $27 million in additional operating funding, representing an increase of 3.2 per cent to the operating funding the hospital received in 2020-21.
The province plans to invest more than $30.2 billion in healthcare infrastructure over the next 10 years to increase capacity in hospitals, build new health care facilities, and renew existing hospitals and community health centres.