$40.5 million boost in funding to expand pediatric services in Ottawa and the surrounding area
OTTAWA — Ontario is investing more than $40.5 million to increase access to pediatric services for children and youth in Eastern Ontario 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 Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario will have a tremendous impact on children and their families, ensuring they receive faster access to care when they need it.” The $40.5 million in additional funding will support programs and services at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), its Children’s Treatment Centre and the Kid’s Come First Health Team, including:
- Increasing the number of surgeries being performed to reduce surgical wait times and backlogs.
- Connecting children and youth to faster access to MRI and CT scans.
- Reducing wait times for children to connect to care in local emergency departments by increasing access to care in other more appropriate settings, such as rapid access clinics.
- Increasing the number of beds and staff to connect more families to inpatient post-operative rehabilitation care.
- Implementing an immunization catch-up program for children and youth in Eastern Ontario with the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario and Ottawa Public Health.
- Increasing access to both mental health supports for youth experiencing eating disorders and psychosocial care for children and youth with cancer.
- Increasing access to children’s rehabilitation services, including occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech and language services.
“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 at the CHEO Children’s Treatment Centre and children’s rehabilitation service providers across the Eastern region will reduce waitlists and improve access to clinical assessments, early intervention, and children’s rehabilitation services. This means less time waiting for speech-language pathology, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy services, and quicker recovery and better quality of life for children and their families.”
This consistent and stable annual funding increase will ensure CHEO can serve patients in Eastern Ontario with 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.