TORONTO – York West residents and surrounding communities will now have even better access to health care as the McGuinty government announces it’s investment in a new Humber River Regional Hospital in northwest Toronto.

York South-Weston MPP Joe Cordiano made the announcement along with the Minister of Public Renewal and Infrastructure, David Caplan and Mario Sergio, MPP for York West.

“This truly is a great day for our community – a community that is probably the fastest growing and most ethnically diverse areas in all of Canada. Today marks a new chapter in the history of this great institution and we can look forward to the future when we will be able to build on the great successes of Humber River Regional Hospital,” said MPP Mario Sergio.

Once completed the new hospital will offer a comprehensive range of services to support inpatient and outpatient programs. The construction will also include the redevelopment for ambulatory care services. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2009/10.

“The McGuinty government is re-building Ontario’s public infrastructure. The projects we are announcing today are an essential part of our plan to modernize hospitals, reduce wait times and upgrade medical equipment in this area and throughout the province,” said Minister Caplan.

The new facility has been approved as an alternative financing and procurement project with the construction and financing carried out by private sector. All aspects will adhere to the guiding principles of the McGuity government’s Building a better Tomorrow framework, which clearly states that hospital’s must remain under public ownership and control.

“We will not comprise the integrity of our public health care system. All Ontario hospitals, no matter how they are funded, will be publicly owned, publicly controlled and publicly accountable. Providing the highest quality health sector infrastructure at the lowest possible cost demands a more principled, more innovative and more effective way of managing our public infrastructure,” said Minister of Economic Development and Trade and MPP of York South-West, Joe Cordiano.

The Ontario government recognizes that there is a need to provide top-quality patient health services in Toronto and the GTA, and the Humber River Regional Hospital project is inline with the ReNew Ontario, the government’s $30 billion, five-year infrastructure investment strategy.

For more information:
Mario Sergio, MPP
York West
416-585-7007