Two local hospitals are getting a massive financial boost from the province to repair and upgrade facilities and offer better patient care.
On Friday, Chatham-Kent-Leamington MPP Trevor Jones announced a combined total of $12 million for the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) and Erie Shores HealthCare in Leamington.
CKHA will receive $5 million to improve operations and reduce wait times, while Erie Shores Healthcare will get $2.3 million.
The operations funding is intended to keep the emergency department open, support inflationary or other wage pressures, and reduce wait times for diagnostic imaging and surgical procedures, including MRI, CT, cardiac, stroke, neuroservices, orthopedics and cataracts, so that people can connect to care faster.
CKHA will also get just over $3.5 million to complete infrastructure upgrades and repairs, while Erie Shores HealthCare will receive $1.2 million.
The capital funding is for upgrading or replacing roofs, windows, security systems, fire alarms, and emergency generators.
"This funding will help Chatham-Kent Health Alliance and Erie Shores HealthCare continue delivering high-quality care, reduce wait times, and ensure residents can access the services they need closer to home," said Jones.
The Ontario government said it's investing $257 million in 2026–27 to support critical infrastructure upgrades and repairs at 126 hospitals and 66 community health-care facilities across the province, adding it's a 12.3 per cent increase from the previous year.
