Funding is on the way for hospitals in Windsor-Essex to help with unexpected expenses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Ontario government is providing over $27.2-million to eight hospitals in southwestern Ontario as part of a $572-million investment to cover increased costs.
Windsor Regional Hospital President and CEO David Musyj says the funding was expected, but it's nice to confirm it's coming.
"The one thing the government did from the start is they promised, they said focus on patient care and focus on taking care of the patients and the money will follow. And they have lived up to that word and they have done that."
He says additional costs piled up quickly and still continue to add up.
"Something as simple as swabbing and the cost of the swabs, the cost of the testing, the cost of the laboratory tests. That's a brand new expense that this world didn't have pre-COVID, let alone vaccines and let alone PPE."
Windsor Regional Hospital will receive just over $5.3-million, Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare will get just over $1-million while Erie Shores Healthcare in Leamington will receive $630,000.
— with files from AM800's Patty Handysides and Zander Broeckel