Niagara Health getting $1.9M for ERs, and $48M to create more hospital bed space

Niagara Health is getting $1.9 million to help cut ER wait times.

The Ontario government announcing today that smaller and high volume hospitals across the province will get an additional $44 million.

Niagara Health will be receiving $1,975,600 to reduce wait times in emergency departments at the St. Catharines, Niagara Falls and Welland hospitals.

MPP Sam Oosterhoff says the funding addresses growing pressures on local emergency departments across the province and provides frontline doctors and nurses with the resources they need to care for patients in life-threatening situations.

Niagara Health's President says they are thankful for the funding and it will help them support and improve emergency rooms.

"Niagara Health is very thankful to the Ontario government for this important investment in our emergency departments," said Lynn Guerriero, President and CEO of Niagara Health.

"This funding will allow us to continue to support and improve our emergency departments for the Niagara community. I am proud of our team who continually strives to improve care and wait times through new and innovative approaches, and to our front-line ED staff and physicians who serve our patients each day."

Hospitals have the flexibility to decide how to spend the money.

Meantime, the Ontario government says of the $1.17 billion it is spending on expanding hospital bed capacity at hospitals across the province, Niagara Health will receive $48 million.

$48,034,000 in base funding will be given to Niagara Health to support 98 acute and complex care beds.

"Since 2021-22, the Ontario government has invested in expanded bedded capacity, amounting to over 3,500 additional beds. This funding is the first step in converting a portion of previously one-time funded beds into permanent base funding, further improving the ability to address acute and post-acute care capacity needs across the hospital sector."