For Immediate Release

Monday, September 19, 2005

McGuinty Government’s Expansion of GTA/905 Hospitals Will Improve Future Access to Local Hospital Care for GTA/905 Residents

Toronto – The GTA/905 Healthcare Alliance welcomes today’s announcement by the Ontario government in support of a new state-of-the-art hospital and redevelopments at Halton Healthcare Services in Oakville.  Today’s announcement and recent announcements at Trillium Health Centre and the Credit Valley Hospital in Mississauga and York Central Hospital in Richmond Hill, brings to four the total number of hospital expansions receiving government support in the GTA/905.

“These recent capital investments in the GTA/905 demonstrate the government’s recognition of the need to improve access to hospital care in the regions of the GTA/905,”said Kirk Corkery, Chair of the GTA/905 Healthcare Alliance.  “We are hopeful that these investments signal that the provincial government is actively addressing population growth pressures facing GTA/905 hospitals and we look forward to further capital announcements in other communities across the GTA/905 regions.”

The Alliance has consistently made the case for better care close to home for GTA/905 residents.  With a growing per capita funding gap for hospital care in the GTA/905, the Alliance has been actively calling for a combination of hospital capital expansions and increased hospital operating funding targeted to high growth regions.

“These capital announcements mean that GTA/905 residents can look forward to expanded hospital facilities in the future,” said Tariq Asmi, Executive Director of the GTA/905 Healthcare Alliance.  вЂњIt is important that new facilities have adequate funding to meet growing population demands.  The Alliance looks forward to the upcoming growth funding announcement to bring an immediate increase in access to hospital care for GTA/905 residents”.

The GTA/905 Healthcare Alliance is the collective voice of acute care and mental health hospitals across the GTA/905 region – from Oshawa to Burlington and north to Newmarket.  Alliance hospitals provide care in communities representing more than 25 per cent of Ontario’s population.  The GTA/905 area is the fastest growing region in Ontario, accounting for more than half of Ontario’s annual population growth.  The GTA/905 Alliance represents the more than three million residents in the region to ensure that they get better care close to home.

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