Northwestern Ontario hospitals are getting an increase in funding for overall operations.
The Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre is welcoming an additional $341,000, while the Dryden Regional Health Centre will see a $185,000 bump.
The Margaret Cochenour Memorial Hospital in Red Lake is getting an extra $68,000, with the Lake of the Woods District Hospital receiving another $292,000
Kenora-Rainy River MPP Greg Rickford made the announcement today. (Tuesday)
Rickford also pledged an additional $1.4-million for land ambulance services for the Kenora District Services Board.
The investment includes funds for an additional paramedic crew in Kenora 24-hours a day, seven days a week.
Rickford says it’s part of a government strategy to end hallway health care.
Dryden Mayor Greg Wilson attended the ceremony in Kenora.
Wilson says “EMS, of course, that affects everybody in our region. So, anything we can do in Dryden to support the whole area, it means everybody wins.”
He adds “Quickly that EMS can respond, the better. Both with proper vehicles but also staffing. That’s huge for our area because you have one area trying to cover another area and it doesn’t work in the north.”
“And I think that the geographic distances aren’t really appreciated in southern Ontario. So, I think this attempt at addressing it, it’s taking us in the right direction.”
Wilson says the City of Dryden supports the efforts of the Kenora District Services Board, the provincial government and the direction that they are going as well as local MPP Greg Rickford.
