Hospitals Receive Funding for Medical Equipment
More Grants Flow as a Result of Partial Recovery of Federal Health Cuts
Waterloo-Wellington MPP Ted Arnott has announced that hospitals serving his constituents are receiving grants to replace existing diagnostic equipment with upgraded technology.
This is the second installation of government funding from a trust fund established in September 2000 when the federal government agreed to a partial restoration of the funding that they cut from the national program which provides support for health care in Ontario.
Ted Arnott is a long time advocate on the issue of federal cuts to health care. He first raised the problem of federal cuts to health funding in the Ontario Legislature in December 1999. At that time, he tabled a resolution requesting that the Government of Canada fully restore the cuts, which at that time were as high as $2.8 billion annually. He also called for an escalator clause that would ensure that federal funding would increase to keep pace with increased costs. His resolution passed with support from all parties in the Legislature on April 13, 2000.
“I appreciate this funding and I congratulate the hospital boards, administrations and front-line staff, all of whom make new technologies work for patients in Waterloo-Wellington,” said Mr. Arnott.
“We must remember that the federal government has not yet fully restored what they cut from the national transfer program for health care. Their share of health spending is approximately 13 cents on the dollar. That's down from 18 cents on the dollar in 1994-95,” he added.
“An escalator clause is also needed to increase funding as the system needs it. Our growing and aging population and new available technologies and medicines are some of the factors which make an escalator clause essential for a new federal-provincial partnership," Mr. Arnott concluded.
Under the grant program, the Groves Memorial Hospital in Fergus received $59,387. The Palmerston hospital received $32,616, and the Mount Forest hospital received $30,988. These two hospitals have combined to become the North Wellington Health Centre.
The Grand River Hospital in Kitchener received $752,529, St. Mary's Hospital in Kitchener received $303,799, and the Guelph General Hospital received $221,105.
Long term care facilities serving Waterloo-Wellington have also received funding for improvements such as specialized beds, lifts, bathing equipment and other patient care equipment.
Mr. Arnott's provincial riding of Waterloo-Wellington includes all of Wellesley, Wilmot and Woolwich Townships, a southwestern part of the City of Kitchener, and much of Wellington County. |
