Province commits to hospital investments
The Ontario government has announced a series of investments in regional hospitals to help expand the services they deliver to patients.
In East Ferris, the province has committed $1.3 million to through its Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) to help the Municipality of East Ferris build a health and wellness hub.
The new centre will create a space for health care practitioners to provide the community with better access to a wide range of health care services closer to home.
The NOHFC funding will be used to build a large facility that will house a physician and provide additional space for other interested health practitioners, such as a chiropractor, optometrist and/or a midwife. The facility could also house a pharmacy, helping to make it a complete health and wellness hub offering a range of services for the area.
"Our government is building, upgrading and maintaining critical health care facilities to improve the quality of care for patients in Northern Ontario,” said Greg Rickford, Minister of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry. “This new facility will increase accessibility to heath related services for the community and surrounding areas, making it a place where people want to live, work and raise families.”
In Simcoe County, meanwhile, the province has committed to expanding the services that will be offered at Stevenson Memorial Hospital as part of the hospital’s redevelopment plan.
With this next stage of approval completed, the hospital is one step closer to getting shovels in the ground to upgrade its facilities.
“After decades of under-investment from previous governments, we are delivering on our promise to bring communities all across Ontario the quality health care they deserve,” said Premier Doug Ford. “With this redevelopment, Stevenson Memorial will be able to provide the people and families of Simcoe County the critical services they need closer to where they live.”
In 2019, the government provided Stevenson Memorial Hospital with $1 million for Phase 1 of its hospital’s redevelopment. The redeveloped hospital will include: a new emergency department that is triple the size of the current department, expanded diagnostic and surgical services, a new birthing suite; and space to accommodate nine new inpatient beds.
“Investing in Stevenson Memorial Hospital is a key part of our government’s plan to build a stronger, more resilient health care system and end hallway health care for all Ontarians,” said Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “Patients and families in Simcoe County can look forward to a new and expanded services that will benefit them for generations to come.”
The next stage of the planning process includes designing the new redeveloped hospital and finalizing operational, space and funding requirements for the expanded services.
Stevenson Memorial Hospital provides care to nearly 40,000 patients in its emergency department every year.