THUNDER BAY ON. – April 14, 2008  - Bill Mauro, MPP Thunder Bay – Atikokan today announced patients at local hospitals in Thunder Bay - Atikokan will benefit from a $5.4 million investment in new hospital funding. This cash flow is part of a $667.2 million provincial increase, or 4.78 per cent, over last year. 

The funding increase means more surgeries, lower wait times and improved access to health care for residents in Thunder Bay – Atikokan.

This new investment includes:

More surgeries, more MRIs and more CT scans as part of Ontario’s Wait Time Strategy
Sustaining services to meet communities with unique needs, such as geographic isolation and a smaller population base.

The additional funding is broken down as follows:

Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre             $5,409,600
Atikokan General Hospital                                                $     26,300

An additional $170 million will be allocated to hospitals later in 2008-2009, making the overall increase 6.1 per cent for this fiscal year.

QUOTES

“These investments will ensure the citizens of Thunder Bay - Atikokan are getting the care they deserve,” said Bill Mauro, MPP. “The quality and level of care provided at our hospitals ultimately helps to reduce wait times for patients and increase access to health care.”

“We are working with our hospitals, other health service providers and government partners to build a strong health system for the residents in our communities,” said Janice Beazley, Acting Chair of the NW LHIN. “We all want a health system that is sustainable and well positioned to provide effective and timely health care.”

“Hospitals are one of the cornerstones of our health care system,” said George Smitherman, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. “We will continue to work with our hospital partners and Local Health Integration Networks to ensure that the health care needs of Ontarians are met.”

QUICK FACTS

Hospital funding in Ontario has increased from $10.9 billion in 2003-04 to $14.4 billion in 2008-09, an overall 31.3 per cent increase.

Ontario has 150 public hospital corporations on 227 sites, five specialty psychiatric hospitals and six private hospitals.

Since 2003, Over 100 new hospital projects have been completed or are underway.