July 19, 2006

TORONTO – The McGuinty government is improving access to services for women and infants by approving redevelopment at Mount Sinai Hospital, Health and Long-Term Care Minister George Smitherman announced today.

“We’re on the side of Ontario families who want and deserve the very best health care, including quality hospital care,” Smitherman said. “The redevelopment of obstetrical, neonatal and ambulatory services at Mount Sinai will provide women and infants with improved access to a full range of services.”

The Women’s and Infants’ Health Program project includes a new labour and delivery unit, a new neo-natal intensive care unit and level II nurseries, as well as modern antenatal and post-natal units and expanded ambulatory care space. This project is scheduled to begin no later than 2009-2010.

Today’s announcement also includes an $8-million investment for planning and design at the hospital with $7 million going towards the Women’s and Infants’ Health Program project, and $1 million to develop the proposal and business case for an ambulatory surgical centre project and an upgrade project for the clinical medical/surgical program.

“Mount Sinai Hospital is committed to providing the very best in patient and family-centered care for Ontarians, and we are delighted by today’s announcement that the province supports our goal to develop much-needed space for our regional Women’s and Infants’ Health Program,” said Joseph Mapa, President and CEO of Mount Sinai Hospital.

Mount Sinai’s capital project is one of several hospital projects approved under ReNew Ontario, the government’s five-year, $30-billion plan to modernize and replace many of the province’s hospitals, schools and post-secondary institutions. ReNew Ontario includes $5 billion for health care infrastructure.

“This hospital capital project is part of our government’s plan to help ensure Ontarians have the high quality services they need and deserve,” said David Caplan, the Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal. “For the first time, this province has a long-term plan for building and developing our hospitals that will bring much needed stability and certainty to hospitals and better health care for Ontarians.”

“The ReNew Ontario plan will make it possible for many hospitals to undertake much-needed capital improvements to facilities that, across Ontario, average 43 years old,” said Hilary Short, President and CEO of the Ontario Hospital Association. “We welcome today’s important investment at Mount Sinai, and we look forward to further investments like these in the months and years ahead.”

This is just the latest example of how the McGuinty government is on the side of Ontario families when it comes to providing quality health care. Other initiatives include :

• Investing $1.8 billion in additional operating funding to all Ontario hospitals over the next three years
• Reducing wait times for five key health care services (hip and knee joint replacement, cataract surgeries, MRI exams, cancer surgeries and cardiac procedures) with a recent investment of $222.5 million
• Issuing Requests for Proposals for 11 new hospital projects in 2006/07 worth $2 billion.

“Our government has a vision of a health care system that will help keep Ontarians healthier, get them good care when they are sick, and that will be there for their children and grandchildren,” said Smitherman. “Upgrading and modernizing our hospitals is critical to making that vision a reality.”

Today’s initiative is part of the McGuinty government’s plan for innovation in public health, building a system that delivers on three priorities - keeping Ontarians healthy, reducing wait times and providing better access to doctors and nurses.

For further information :

Members of the general public : (416) 327-4327, or (800) 268-1154

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