The government of Ontario is allocating $3 million to Baycrest Hospital in Toronto, to upgrade its infrastructure.
MPP Robin Martin made the announcement on Feb. 13, in a brief ceremony in the Apotex Centre, on the Baycrest campus.
“The health and safety of patients and families is a priority for our government. That’s why we must make the necessary investments to ensure Baycrest and other hospitals across Ontario have the facilities they need to continue to provide excellent quality care to patients,” Martin said.
The goal, she added, was to “create a health-care system that works for all the people of Ontario.”
William Reichman, the president and CEO of Baycrest, said that, “This important funding will allow Baycrest to ensure our infrastructure is renewed to provide added reliability, functionality and capacity to key facilities on campus, and will position Baycrest to enhance the care needs of patients and their families in our hospital.…
“These are investments for the future.”
The funds, which are allocated under the Health Infrastructure Renewal Fund, are earmarked for the modernization of seven hospital elevators, three air handling units, as well as to improve accessibility and to complete the hospital’s Nurse Call project.
Baycrest Health Sciences is considered a global leader in geriatric residential living, health care, research, innovation and education. Affiliated with the University of Toronto, it is also known for its research into brain health and aging.
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In 2017, Baycrest’s Rotman Research Institute received $1.8 million from the Canada Foundation for Innovation, a federal government agency that provides funding for research infrastructure for brain health research.
Baycrest’s Centre for Aging and Brain Health Innovation received $123.5 million in joint provincial and federal funding in 2015 and its memory clinic received a $3 million grant in 2017 from the government of Canada and Brain Canada for dementia research.
According to the 2016-17 Baycrest Annual Report, the Ontario government allocated $9.06 million to upgrade infrastructure at Baycrest. Those funds went to improve Baycrest Hospital, the Ben and Hilda Katz Building, the Apotex Centre, the Kimel Family Building and the Posluns Building.
According to Martin, the MPP for Eglinton-Lawrence, the Ontario government “is providing 128 hospitals across the province with funding to upgrade, repair and maintain their facilities, while moving forward quickly to address challenges facing the health-care system and end hallway health care. As this important work continues, this funding will allow hospitals to address urgent issues, including upgrades or replacements of roofs, windows, heating and air conditioning systems, fire alarms and back-up generators.”