Ontario Building a Stronger, More Resilient Health Care System in Uxbridge

$2.5 million provincial investment to expand services and add new hospital beds for local families

Photo of Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health

UXBRIDGE — As part of its plan to stay open, the Ontario government is investing an additional $2.5 million to expand and build a new, modernized hospital at Oak Valley Health’s (formerly known as Markham Stouffville Hospital) Uxbridge Hospital site. The investment will support planning for the construction of the new hospital that will add more patient beds and expand key services such as ambulatory care and diagnostic imaging. This will make it easier for families to access high-quality care as the province continues to build a stronger, more resilient health system that is better able to respond to crisis.

“Investing in the redevelopment and expansion of Uxbridge Hospital is one more way our government is building a stronger, more resilient health care system and ending hallway health care,” said Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “This additional investment will ensure the hospital can continue its planning to modernize its facilities so they are able to better meet the growing needs of families in the community.”

Today’s funding brings the province’s total investment to $3 million to support the planning of an interconnected hospital campus that will bring health care and community health providers together in three facilities, including a new hospital, a long-term care home and an ambulatory care building to enhance the patient experience and improve access to integrated, high-quality care.

The project is planned to add 11 new beds for a total of 31 beds at the Oak Valley Health Uxbridge Hospital where it provides diagnostic and emergency services to over 23,000 patients per year. In addition, the long-term care home is planned to accommodate 92 new beds for a total of 192 long-term care beds. The redeveloped hospital will also expand key services, including diagnostic imaging, cardiorespiratory services, and laboratory and pharmacy services. As phases of the project are completed, families will be able to look forward to increased access to inpatient, emergency and ambulatory services.

“The announcement that we have received approval to go to construction is an exciting step towards Oak Valley Health’s vision of a modern hospital campus in Uxbridge,” said Jo-anne Marr, President and CEO of Oak Valley Health. “This project will replace aging infrastructure with a new hospital facility, increase capacity, and enhance services to meet the growing demands of the community. It will allow our patients and their families to receive the high-quality care they need and deserve, closer to home.”

“Today’s announcement reinforces our commitment to providing the people of Uxbridge with world-class healthcare – both now, and for future generations,” said Peter Bethlenfalvy, MPP for Pickering-Uxbridge. “Projects like the redevelopment of Oak Valley Health’s Uxbridge site will help reduce wait times for patients and improve the quality of care and services that our community relies on everyday.”

“Our government has a plan to fix long-term care and a key part of that plan is building modern, safe, and comfortable homes for our seniors,” said Paul Calandra, Minister of Long-Term Care. “When the new building for Reachview Village long-term care is completed, it will be a place for 192 local residents to call home, near their family and friends.”

Oak Valley Health has received government approval to construct the major redevelopment of Uxbridge Hospital, meaning this important project is part of the government’s 10-year capital plan. The province is working with Oak Valley Health to advance to the next stage of the capital process and ensure that the project meets the health care needs of patients and families in the region.

Quick Facts

  • Oak Valley Health is one of Ontario’s leading community health systems. Between their two sites, Markham Stouffville Hospital and Uxbridge Hospital, they provide high-quality, patient-centred care to more than 474,000 patients each year.
  • To further support the high-quality care provided by Ontario’s hospitals, the government is providing an additional $827 million to hospitals across the province, representing a four per cent increase from last year. This will ensure all publicly funded hospitals receive a minimum two per cent increase to their budgets to help them better meet patient needs, while building a stronger, more resilient health care system.
  • To support high-quality care in the Durham region, the Ontario government is increasing Oak Valley Health’s operating funding for the fourth straight year. Last year, Oak Valley Health received over $4.3 million in additional operating funding, representing an increase of 2.2 per cent to the operating funding the hospital received the year before.
  • As part of the government’s over $1.2 billion investment to help hospitals recover from financial pressures created and worsened by COVID-19, Oak Valley Health received over $6.1 million for 2020-21 lost revenue in order to provide financial stability and support continued high-quality patient care.
  • As part of the government’s $760 million commitment in the 2021 Budget to support over 3,100 additional hospital beds opened during the COVID-19 pandemic, Oak Valley Health received funding for up to 20 acute beds, five transitional beds and five critical care beds.
  • To support growing demands on the health care system, Ontario’s investments over the next 10 years will lead to $30 billion in health infrastructure across the province. These investments will increase capacity in hospitals, build new health care facilities, and renew existing hospitals and community health centres.

Source Province of Ontario

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