Ontario investing almost $20M in Mackenzie Health hospitals in Richmond Hill, Vaughan

Funds part of provincial government’s investment of up to $696.6 million for qualifying hospitals this year

Thestar.com
March 18, 2022
Dina Al-Shibeeb

Ontario is funnelling a new investment of $19,842,000 for both Mackenzie Health hospitals in Vaughan and Richmond Hill, local MPPs announced Friday, March 11.

The hospitals qualifying for the investment are the ones that witnessed working funds deficit, which happens when an organization’s current liabilities exceed their current assets, according to a news release from Stephen Lecce, MPP for King-Vaughan.

This is also part of the Ontario government’s investment of up to $696.6 million this year to qualifying hospitals, with a focus on small and medium-sized hospitals, as well as specialty, and rehabilitation hospitals.

In addition, the $696.6 million is part of the $1.2 billion-plus announced on March 22 last year, which was earmarked to help public hospitals recover from financial pressures created and worsened by COVID-19.

“This is the largest provincial investment in Vaughan’s Cortellucci Hospital that will directly improve our quality of life -- from mental health, to child and birthing, emergency care, and a stroke unit -- that will save lives and help new ones enter the world,” said Lecce, who announced the investment alongside Daisy Wai, the MPP for Richmond Hill.

The Cortellucci hospital opened its doors officially in June last year.

“I am proud to deliver this increase in funding to the Cortellucci Hospital to allow for the hiring of more staff and improved care for our loved ones,” Lecce added.

Altaf Stationwala, president and CEO at Mackenzie Health, explained how the pandemic has added to the existing capacity pressures on these hospitals.

“This additional funding will put Mackenzie Health on a more secure financial footing so that we can continue to provide the care that our community deserves,” Stationwala said.

“Mackenzie Health has been on a unique journey as we opened our second hospital, Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital, and operated one of the busiest emergency departments in the province, with volumes consistently increasing year over year at Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital.”

Ontario was the largest investor for the Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital, the province’s first net-new hospital in over 30 years. Ontario provided $1.3 billion toward the $1.7 billion hospital.