Northumberland and Quinte area hospitals are set to receive a big boost from the 2017 provincial budget in an effort to reduce wait times and expand services.

Altogether Northumberland and Quinte area hospitals will receive a $4.1 million investment as part of a 3.1 per cent increase announced in the 2017 budget.

On Friday, the province stated Ontario will invest $3 million in Quinte Health Care hospitals, $839,394 in Northumberland Hills Hospital and $279,300 in Campbellford Memorial. It will be up to QHC board officials to decide how to allocate the $3 million among the four hospitals under its umbrella.

Northumberland-Quinte West MPP Lou Rinaldi said the funds will provide faster access to health care, expand crucial services and procedures and improve the experience of patients.

MPP Lou Rinaldi

Hospital operating funding in Ontario has increased more than 58%, from $11.3 billion in 2003-04 to $18 billion in 2017-18. Ontario’s health care budget will total $53.8 billion in 2017-18, a 3.8% increase from the previous year.

Rinaldi said he has met with hospital CEOs and have been listening to their concerns.

MPP Lou Rinaldi 2

Each of Ontario’s 141 public hospitals will receive a minimum 2% increase to its base funding in 2017-18.

Ontario also plans to invest an additional $9 billion over 10 years in capital grants to hospitals to build modern infrastructure. About 34 hospital projects are now underway across the province.