Ontario’s Action Plan: Protecting People’s Health and Our Economy Supporting New Hospital in Brampton

BRAMPTON — The Ontario government is delivering a long-awaited new hospital for the people of Brampton. The 2021 Budget includes an additional $3 billion investment in health care infrastructure over 10 years, which will support the transformation of the Peel Memorial Centre for Integrated Health and Wellness (“Peel Memorial”) in Brampton from a day facility into a new inpatient hospital with a 24/7 Emergency Department. The 2021 Budget, Ontario’s Action Plan: Protecting People’s Health and Our Economy, brings the government’s total investment to protect people’s health to $16.3 billion.

Details were provided today by Premier Doug Ford, Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, and Prabmeet Sarkaria, Member of Provincial Parliament for Brampton South, and Amarjot Sandhu, Member of Provincial Parliament for Brampton West.

“Thanks to years of under investment, Brampton has waited far too long for access to the health care services their growing city needs,” said Premier Ford. “In the 2021 Budget, our government is finally delivering a new hospital and 24/7 Emergency Department for the great people of Brampton.”

Currently, Peel Memorial is an urgent care centre that provides a range of day procedures and outpatient services. To support the transformation of Peel Memorial into a new hospital, the province will fund the construction of over 250 net new beds at the site. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2023. The province is also providing up to $18 million in 2021-22 to expand the urgent care centre to 24/7 operations, paving the way for an eventual emergency department as Peel Memorial expands into an inpatient hospital.

“Ontario’s hospitals have been on the frontlines of the province’s COVID-19 response, and our government is committed to ensuring they have the infrastructure and tools they need to continue delivering exceptional care to our communities,” said Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “By supporting the transformation of Peel Memorial, this investment will help improve access to care for patients in the region, while also expanding hospital capacity and helping to end hallway health care.”

The investments in Peel Memorial will allow the people of Brampton have access to 24/7 hospital services including urgent care, complex continuing care, enhanced mental health, and rehabilitation for patients and their families.

Last year, William Osler received up to 87 hospital beds to help alleviate hospital capacity pressures and reduce wait times as part of the government’s investment of $351 million for more than 2,250 new beds at 57 hospitals and alternate health facilities across the province.

“With Ontario’s Action Plan: Protecting People’s Health and Our Economy, we are accelerating our long-standing work with a more than $30 billion plan to build, expand, and improve hospitals across the province over the next ten years,” said Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance and President of the Treasury Board. “No government has committed to invest more in Ontario hospitals. This includes a historic and overdue investment for the Peel Region to ensure people can access care when they need in their community.”

Healthy people are essential for a healthy economy. With vaccines being distributed, hope is on the horizon. Ontario’s Action Plan: Protecting People’s Health and Our Economy provides the resources necessary to finish the battle with COVID-19, building on the government’s record investments to protect health and jobs during the global pandemic.

Quick Facts

• Ontario’s Action Plan: Protecting People’s Health and Our Economy, brings total investments to $16.3 billion to protect people’s health and $23.3 billion to protect our economy. Ontario’s COVID-19 action plan support now totals $51 billion.
• The Ontario government recently announced over $1.2 billion to help Ontario’s public hospitals recover from financial pressures created and worsened by COVID-19. This investment will ensure hospitals can continue to provide the high-quality patient care Ontarians need and deserve.
• The government is investing more than $21 billion in capital grants over the next 10 years for hospital projects across Ontario that will lead to $30 billion in hospital infrastructure.
• To ensure that every person who requires care in a hospital can access a bed, the government is investing over $5.1 billion to support hospitals since the start of the pandemic, creating more than 3,100 additional hospital beds. This includes $1.8 billion in 2021–22 to continue providing care for COVID-19 patients, addressing surgical backlogs and keeping pace with patient needs through its Ontario’s Action Plan: Protecting People’s Health and Our Economy.
• As part of the province’s $2.8 billion fall preparedness plan, the government invested $283.7 million to assist the health system’s ongoing efforts to reduce surgery backlogs, and $457.5 million to ensure that the health system is prepared to respond to any waves or surges of COVID-19 without interrupting routine health services.

Quotes

“This is a historic moment for the residents of Brampton and I am excited about Premier Ford’s announcement of a new 24/7 hospital right here in Brampton. Health and education remain the priority of our government and I thank Premier Ford and this government for giving Bramptonians the support and services they deserve, which was conveniently ignored by the previous governments for too long.”

– Amarjot Sandhu
MPP for Brampton West

“This is an historic day for the people of Brampton, and I’m thrilled that after years of neglect from previous governments our community is finally getting our fair share. This new hospital will ensure that every Bramptonian has access to the quality care we need and deserve, and that hallway health care will finally become a thing of the past for Brampton families.”

– Prabmeet Sarkaria
MPP for Brampton South