(Queen's Park) – Simcoe North MPP Garfield Dunlop announced today that local hospitals will receive new funding from the Ernie Eves government to ensure that local residents continue to have access to quality hospital services.

Orillia Soldiers" Memorial Hospital, Huronia District Hospital in Midland and Penetanguishene General Hospital will respectively receive $4,284,200, $1,855,400 and $600,000 this year (2002/03).

"The Eves government has continued to make health care a priority in our community and across Ontario," said Dunlop. "These investments in our local hospitals will help them continue to deliver quality health care services in an effective, efficient and accountable way."

The new funding is part of the $350 million committed by Health Minister Tony Clement at the 2002 Ontario Hospital Association annual conference. The majority of this funding – $300 million – will help hospitals stabilize their 2002/03 budgets. It was allocated based on advice from third-party reviews of every hospital"s finances.

The remaining $50 million was allocated to reward and recognize hospitals that are fiscally responsible and demonstrate innovation, and to support further network innovation among small and rural hospitals in Rural and Northern Networks.

"We are extremely pleased with this substantial boost to our operating budget," said Varouj Eskedjian, Assistant Executive Director of Corporate Affairs at Soldiers" Memorial Hospital in Orillia. "We believe it is a recognition of the ongoing status of our hospital as one of the most efficient hospitals in the province."

"We believe that these additional funds prove we did well in the review process and that local hospitals are operating efficiently," said Roger Robitaille, Huronia District Hospital chair and Corrie Hamelin, Penetanguishene Hospital chair. "Hospital boards, managers and staff are operating in challenging times, and this new funding signifies the government"s commitment to resolving the pressures hospitals are facing both financially and on the frontline."

The Eves government is now providing more than $9.7 billion to Ontario hospitals – an increase of 35 percent since 1995.

Contact:
Garfield Dunlop
(705) 327-4500 (cell)