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ONTARIO 💵⚕️ Ontario Building a More Connected Health Care System for Durham Region

Sunday, 11 August 2024 08:00.AM

- Region Projects in Bowmanville, Oshawa, Whitby, Ajax and Pickering will connect more people to the care they need, close to home -

The Ontario government is building and expanding health care infrastructure across Durham Region to better meet the needs of residents for decades to come. The multi-phase redevelopment will build a more connected system of care across the region and includes projects to expand Lakeridge Health’s hospital campuses in Bowmanville, Oshawa, Whitby, Ajax and Pickering.

“Our government is investing to ensure that people in the growing communities of Durham have access to the convenient care they need, close to home,” said Premier Doug Ford. “These investments will support the development of a robust health care system for all of Durham Region that puts people at the centre of care.”

To date, the Ontario government has provided more than $12 million in capital planning grants to support Lakeridge Health’s master redevelopment plan, as part of a larger overall investment to complete this multi-phase expansion. The expansion of Lakeridge’s services and hospital campuses will add a total of 300 new hospital beds and enhance services throughout the region, including:
• Redeveloping the Bowmanville Hospital to double the hospital’s capacity by adding 32 new beds and building new state-of-the-art facilities to expand inpatient and ambulatory care services and the emergency department.
• Building a new Whitby Hospital to improve access to fast and convenient care.
• A new post-acute care centre in Pickering to connect more patients and their families to rehabilitation and recovery supports.
• Creating space for acute care capacity at the Oshawa site by relocating some services to a new post-acute care centre in Pickering.
• Later phases of the redevelopment plan under consideration include expanding the Ajax Pickering Hospital to connect more people to clinical and support services.

The precise distribution of the 300 new beds across Lakeridge Health’s various sites will be determined as part of the ongoing planning process.

Lakeridge Health serves more than 700,000 residents at five hospitals and more than 20 community health centres across Durham Region. Through this multi-phase redevelopment, the Ontario government is ensuring Lakeridge Health can continue to meet the needs of Durham Region’s rapidly growing population and provide people with care, when and where they need it.

“Under the leadership of Premier Ford, our government is making record investments to build a health care system that lasts, connecting more people in Durham Region and across Ontario to the care they need, when they need it,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “We will continue to take bold, decisive action to expand capacity and build modern, state-of-the-art facilities across the province to reduce wait times and ensure people of all ages can access fast, convenient care, close to home.”

Through Your Health: A Plan For Connected and Convenient Care, the Ontario government is making it easier for people of all ages to connect to the care they need, when they need it. This includes building new hospitals to expand services available to people in their community while reducing wait lists and wait times.

Quick Facts
• Over the next 10 years, Ontario’s investments will lead to nearly $50 billion in health infrastructure across the province, adding 3,000 new beds.
• The Ontario government is investing more than $228 million this year to support critical infrastructure upgrades and repairs at 129 hospitals and 58 community health care facilities across the province.
• As part of the province’s historic expansion of medical school seats, including new medical schools at Toronto Metropolitan University and York University, Ontario is supporting an innovative partnership between Lakeridge and Queen’s University to bring more family doctors to Durham Region.
• Ontario will continue to work in partnership with Lakeridge Health as it moves forward with redevelopment and continues planning for the proposed new Whitby hospital.
• The sale of land to the Town of Whitby will be subject to all government requirements and progress towards the proposed new hospital including planning for the remediation of the land.


"This announcement, which includes the new Whitby Hospital, marks a significant milestone in expanding top-tier health care for residents of Whitby and the Region of Durham. With projects in Whitby, Pickering, Oshawa, Bowmanville and Ajax, we're not just building facilities, we're creating a more connected and comprehensive health care system closer to home. This is what it means to get it done."
- Lorne Coe, MPP for Whitby

"I am thrilled about this announcement of a transformative expansion for Lakeridge Health. This provides a significant boost, adding 300 beds which will enhance health care in Ajax and across the Durham Region. The new hospital in Whitby, the post-acute care center in Pickering and other vital improvements will reduce wait times and elevate the standard of care for our community."
- Patrice Barnes, MPP for Ajax

"With Durham Region's population growing by up to 14 per cent in the next five years, this critical investment in Lakeridge Health is a testament to this government's unwavering commitment to ensuring Ontarians have access to excellent health care, whenever they need it and wherever they need it."
- Todd McCarthy, MPP for Durham

"Durham is one of the fastest growing regions in Ontario, which is why our government will continue our Plan to Build to meet the needs of our province’s growing population. Today’s announcement once again proves that our government’s plan to invest in health care infrastructure without raising taxes on Ontario families is working."
- Peter Bethlenfalvy, MPP for Pickering-Uxbridge

"This investment in the health of communities throughout the Durham Region is truly a game-changer. It will enable Lakeridge Health to continue to advance our vision of a comprehensive, integrated system of care. It’s a strong vote of confidence in our mission to Empower People to Live their Best Health. Today’s announcement means our rapidly growing and diverse population will be able to receive exceptional and specialized care close to home, in a safe and timely manner, within and beyond the walls of our Lakeridge Health hospitals. It also means more jobs in the health care sector and will help us recruit and retain additional talented clinicians and staff. These investments will certainly lead to an improved quality of life for residents in our region."
- Cynthia Davis, President and CEO, Lakeridge Health

"I want to express our profound gratitude to the Province of Ontario for its significant investment in our health care system in Durham Region. This funding will be pivotal in advancing our plans for a new hospital, a standalone Complex Continuing Care and Rehabilitation Centre, the expansion of tertiary care services at Oshawa Hospital as well as infrastructure improvements at Ajax Pickering Hospital. This dramatically enhances our ability to ensure patients can get timely exceptional care in the right clinical environment to match their needs. We are so excited that new specialized care will be made available locally for all of Durham Region. This incredible announcement will support and accelerate our vision of One System. Best Health."
- Dr. Randy Wax, Chief of Staff, Lakeridge Health


SOURCE: Office of the Premier of Ontario

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