NEWS RELEASE
ANN HOGGARTH, MPP BARRIE
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Ontario is supporting planning for the proposed redevelopment and expansion of Stevenson Memorial Hospital and Collingwood General and Marine Hospital, to ensure the residents of Simcoe County will continue to have access to quality health care close to home.
Ann Hoggarth, MPP for Barrie, was at Stevenson Memorial Hospital today to announce that the province is providing grants of up to $500,000 each to Stevenson Memorial Hospital and to Collingwood General and Marine Hospital to help plan for the expansion of both hospitals.
Stevenson Memorial Hospital’s proposal includes building an addition to the current facility, along with related sitework, to replace and modernize infrastructure for various programs including:
- Inpatient units
- Emergency services
- Surgical services
- Diagnostic services
Collingwood General and Marine Hospital proposes redeveloping the entire facility to meet the health service needs for residents in the area.
Building and expanding hospitals is part of Ontario’s plan to create fairness and opportunity 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 through the biggest expansion of medicare in a generation.
Quotes
“Our government supports Stevenson Memorial and Collingwood General and Marine hospitals in their planning work to modernize health care for families in Simcoe County. Ontario’s investment in planning to expand and redevelop these hospital facilities will ensure greater access to care in these local communities.” - Dr. Eric Hoskins, minister of health and long-term care
“As communities in Simcoe County continue to grow rapidly, it is vital that hospitals are given the tools they need to plan for the future. I am thrilled that these grants will help local hospitals help more patients and expand their services.” - Ann Hoggarth, MPP Barrie
“Today’s announcement is a big step forward for our hospital and our community. I want to thank the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care for recognizing our hospital’s need for redevelopment and providing essential funding to help us bring a renewed vision and revitalized hospital to our community. Today’s announcement clearly shows the government’s commitment to meeting the future needs of our growing community." - Jody Levac, president and CEO, Stevenson Memorial Hospital
“We are truly grateful to hear that a planning grant is forthcoming and thank the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care for recognizing the great need in our community for a new hospital. This will assist us in the development and planning for our growing community of 60,000 permanent and 3.5 million visitors each year, as we continue to advance community health through compassionate, innovate and collaborative care.” - Norah Holder, president and CEO, Collingwood General and Marine Hospital
“Community hospitals are an absolute linchpin in the local health care system. In the Central LHIN, Stevenson Memorial is integral to health care delivery in the South Simcoe area – bringing new lives into the world and making heroic efforts in emergency, diagnostic, intensive, complex and rehabilitative care every single day. In our mandate as system planners, funders and care coordinators, the Central LHIN is pleased to work with the Government and Stevenson Memorial to advance service delivery excellence at the local level.” - Kim Baker, CEO, Central LHIN
“The North Simcoe Muskoka LHIN welcomes this targeted investment to support the critical planning stages for redevelopment of Collingwood General and Marine Hospital. Ensuring the hospital is designed and operationalized to meet the future needs of South Georgian Bay sub-region residents and others will be critical to providing efficient, effective, and equitable care.” - Jill Tettmann, CEO, North Simcoe Muskoka LHIN
Quick facts
- A planning grant provides resources for hospitals to work with their Local Health Integration Network and the province to ensure a project is of appropriate scope and scale. The results of planning inform more sustainable, fiscal planning for communities.
- Planning grants provide funding for early planning stages only — a planning grant does not mean approval to build.
- Ontario is providing funding for over 2,000 additional beds and spaces across the province in 2017-18 to provide access to care and reduce wait times, whether in hospital, at home or in the community.
- Ontario is making the largest infrastructure investment in hospitals, schools, public transit, roads and bridges in the province’s history. To learn more about what’s happening in your community, go to Ontario.ca/BuildON.
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