Provincial funding boost includes $40 million for Hamilton, Burlington hospitals

Hamilton hospitals will receive $29.2 million in additional provincial money to help with their budgets this year, while Joseph Brant Hospital in Burlington will receive $11.2 million.

That’s the local portion of Thursday’s $822 million Ontario-wide investment, an overall increase of 4.6 per cent.

Eric Vandewall, president and chief executive of Joe Brant, says the funding will be a “great step forward” in reducing wait times and meeting the needs of an aging population.

Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale Liberal MPP Ted McMeekin predicts an expansion of priority procedures such as cardiac care, critical care, chemotherapy, treatment for strokes, hip and knee replacements, and medical imaging.