$68 million boost in funding to expand pediatric services
TORONTO — Ontario is investing nearly $68 million to increase access to pediatric services for children and youth in the GTA so they have the care they need, when they need it, right in their own community. This is part of the Ontario government’s investment of an additional $330 million each year in pediatric health services at hospitals and community-based health care facilities across Ontario.
“Our government is making record investments in the health and well-being of our children,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “The pediatric funding provided to the Hospital for Sick Children, Holland Bloorview, CAMH, Toronto East Health Network and Unity Health will have a tremendous impact on children and their families, ensuring they receive faster access to care when they need it.”
The $68 million in additional funding will support programs and services at the Hospital for Sick Children ($44.9 million), Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital ($11.9 million), the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health ($6.5 million), Toronto East Health Network ($2.3 million), St. Michael’s Hospital ($289,700), Surrey Place ($460,000) Grandview Kids ($78,000) and the Children’s Treatment Network of Simcoe-York ($1.4 million). The funding will be used to:
- Hire more pediatric surgical staff and expand access to operating rooms to increase the number of surgeries performed at the Hospital for Sick Children and partnering community hospitals.
- Hire additional registered nurses to increase the number of children and youth who can be treated at the Hospital for Sick Children.
- Add more inpatient rehabilitation beds at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital.
- Hire more staff at Holland Bloorview and the Hospital for Sick Children to connect families to more mental health supports.
- Increase the number of people who can be seen, triaged and cared for on-site in emergency departments at the Toronto East Health Network and the Hospital for Sick Children by expanding programs that connect people to care in the right place instead of going to emergency departments.
- Reduce wait times for children and youth with cancer to connect to psychological care at the Hospital for Sick Children.
- Connect children and youth to more MRI and CT scans at the Hospital for Sick Children.
- Help more expectant mothers conveniently connect to St. Michael’s post-partum midwifery-led clinic which provides specialist care to infants and families.
- Increase access to children’s rehabilitation services, including occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech and language services, at Surrey Place, Grandview Kids and the Children’s Treatment Network of Simcoe-York.
“Ontario is putting children and youth first by ensuring they receive the care they need when they need it,” said Michael Parsa, Minister of Children, Community and Social Services. “Our government’s significant investment in pediatric care will reduce waitlists, improve access to clinical assessments, early intervention, and children’s rehabilitation services, such as speech-language pathology, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy. This means less time waiting for services, quicker recovery, and better quality of life for children and their families in the GTA and across the province.”
This consistent and stable annual funding increase will ensure hospitals in the GTA have the people, resources and technology to improve access to pediatric care and prevent backlogs. Over 100 high-priority initiatives are being quickly implemented across Ontario to ensure children and youth in every corner of the province can connect to emergency care, surgeries, ambulatory services, diagnostic imaging, and mental health services.
Through Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care, the Ontario government is providing significant financial support to hospitals and communities to improve how they deliver pediatric care – ensuring Ontarians of all ages can access care easier, faster, and closer to home in their communities.