The provincial government has unveiled the 2024 budget, and the President and CEO of Windsor Regional Hospital believes it's a very positive one from a hospital healthcare perspective.
The government’s budget has surpassed last year's in terms of total spending, making it the largest in the history of Ontario at about $214.5 billion.
As part of that, hospitals across the province are set to receive $965 million more this year, a four per cent increase in base funding compared to the year prior.
David Musyj says that's good news locally, but the devil is in the details because they won't know exactly what that four per cent will mean to them until closer to June or July.
"When we get our actual funding letters from the ministry. We'll have to see with respect to exactly what that entails, so more to come with respect to that, but clearly the wording in the budget is positive with respect to hospital healthcare," he said.
The new mega hospital project is mentioned in the budget text, and Musyj says it's always a good day when they're able to see that.
"It also indicates clearly that it's going to be adding more hospital beds, expanding services in the region, and with a procurement expected to be in 2025. So we go to market in 2025, a shovel in the ground in 2026, and that is stated in the budget in black and white."
The province also announced $500 million over 10 years that will go towards small hospital projects and community health programs, plus $620 million over 10 years for a "health infrastructure renewal fund" to replace infrastructure.
Musyj says that'll benefit WRH and the region as well.
"We have right now the new radiation bunker project that's underway, and hopefully we'll be announcing the start of the second catheterization table in the second month or so. The tender has just closed on that, so smaller projects that are desperately needed that were promised decades ago and finally being delivered upon," he stated.
Finance minister Peter Bethlenfalvy also mentioned new money for home care will be spent on increasing wages for nurses, PSW's and other front line home care providers.
Musyj says that'll be a big boost for retaining nurses, hiring 3rd and 4th year nurses, and training for internationally educated nurses.