Major Funding Boost Will Reduce Wait Times, Address Capacity Issues and Provide Better Care Closer to Home
Ontario is investing an additional $21.1 million in Mackenzie Health. This is part of the province’s commitment to invest an additional $822 million investment in Ontario hospitals in 2018/19- an increase of 4.6 per cent.
MPP Steven Del Duca and MPP Reza Moridi along with President and CEO Altaf Stationwala were at the new Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital site to explain how this major increase in hospital funding will provide better access to care, reduce wait times, address capacity issues and better meet the needs of York Region’s changing population.
This overall increase of 4.6 per cent across the province is on top of the 3.2 per cent provided last year — allowing hospitals to invest with more precision in the care and supports that address the specific needs of their patients and community.
Patients and families across Ontario will also directly benefit from this increased funding with the expansion of essential services to reduce wait times and priority procedures such as cardiac care, critical care, chemotherapy, treatment for strokes, hip and knee replacements, and medical imaging.
Increasing funding to hospitals and access to high-quality health care across the province is part of the government's plan to support care, create opportunity and make life more affordable during this period of rapid economic change. The plan includes a higher minimum wage and better working conditions, free tuition for hundreds of thousands of students, easier access to affordable child care, and free prescription drugs for everyone under 25, and 65 or over, through the biggest expansion of medicare in a generation.
QUOTES
“This significant increase in hospital funding demonstrates the Ontario government’s commitment to providing high-quality care to residents of Vaughan and across the province. The additional $21.1 million investment in Mackenzie Health will benefit patients by increasing access to several medical procedures and essential services, while decreasing wait times – ensuring people get the help they need when they need it.”
—Steven Del Duca, MPP, Vaughan
“This announcement is great news for over half a million people in York Region who use Mackenzie Health Richmond Hill Hospital every day. The $21.1 million investment in Mackenzie Health not only means more precision in the supports that address the specific needs of patients in our communities, but it also makes a real, positive difference in the care those patients, and their families, receive. This 2018-19 funding will help Makenzie Health continue to provide patients with a world-class health experience through improved access to quality care.”
— Reza Moridi, MPP, Richmond Hill
“We are committed to making sure hospitals have the resources and supports they need to meet the needs of growing and aging communities. With this historic investment, publicly funded hospitals can increase capacity, decrease wait times and improve access to care for families across Ontario.” — Dr. Helena Jaczek, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care
“With the rapid growth of our communities, our hospital has been experiencing increased demand on services, capacity challenges and longer wait times. The funding announced today will help support our dedicated staff who continue to provide excellent quality care to every patient, every time, ultimately translating into a better care experience for our patients and their families.”
—Altaf Stationwala, President and CEO, Mackenzie Health
QUICK FACTS
- Mackenzie Health will receive more than $ 21.1 million in additional funding, an increase of 11.30% for a total investment of $207.32 million for 2018-19.
- In February 2018, Ontario renewed its support to address increased need for hospital beds with a $187 million investment in 2018–19 that further supports access to care and reduced wait times.
- Hospital operating funding in Ontario has increased by more than 65 per cent, from $11.3 billion in 2003–04 to almost $19 billion in 2018-19.
- The province invested an additional $100 million in 2017–18 in home care supports and services.
- Ontario is creating 5,000 long-term care beds over the next four years and more than 30,000 over the next decade.
- Ontario is launching a historic expansion of mental health and addiction services, with the biggest provincial investment in Canadian history — an increase of $2.1 billion over four years.
- Starting in August 2019, Ontario plans to make prescription drugs free for seniors through OHIP+ for seniors 65 and over, building on the province’s biggest expansion of medicare in a generation that has already made prescription medications free for everyone under the age of 25.