Province announces new funding for G&M Hospital
Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Sylvia Jones was in Collingwood last week to announce $ 95.5 million in new funding to support the construction of a new Collingwood General and Marine Hospital (CGMH).
“Today’s announcement marks a transformative milestone for Collingwood General and Marine Hospital and the South Georgian Bay community,” said Michael Lacroix, CGMH president and CEO. “Our fast-growing region needs a modern hospital facility to match the outstanding care our teams deliver today. This announcement represents a pivotal step toward a new state-of- the-art hospital, one that will better meet the needs of our vibrant and growing community. We’re deeply grateful to the provincial government for their ongoing commitment to the health and well-being of South Georgian Bay, ensuring a stronger, healthier future for our region.”
Detailed planning for a brand-new replacement hospital on a new site will create a larger, state-of-the-art space to expand services and ensure the hospital can continue to meet the needs of the rapidly growing community into the future.
The new hospital, planned for Poplar Sideroad, will have increased capacity of 132 fully private inpatient beds, up from 84 beds, and expanded access to key services, including intensive care, emergency, diagnostic imaging, and operating suites. The Collingwood General and Marine Hospital serves more than 74,000 residents and 3.5 million annual visitors to the communities of Wasaga Beach, Collingwood, Clearview and the Blue Mountains.
“Our government is making historic investments in Ontario’s hospitals to ensure people of all ages can access the care they need, where and when they need it,” said Jones. “Our investment to help build a new and improved Collingwood General and Marine Hospital will allow people and families in Collingwood and across South Georgian Bay to have better access to high-quality care in the community, for generations to come.”
The funding is in addition to the $15.5 million investment previously provided by the provincial government to support the early planning for the redevelopment of Collingwood General and Marine Hospital.
“Delivering world-class health care to all Ontarians across our great province is a top priority for our government,” said Simcoe-Grey MPP Brian Saunderson. “This historic investment in the community of Collingwood and South Georgian Bay will make a much-needed state- of-the-art hospital a reality that will transform health care for generations of families from the birth of a child to palliative care and everything in between.”
The new 132-bed hospital will include 98 total inpatient beds and an additional 34 beds to meet the community’s future needs, enhanced infection prevention and control measures to ensure the health and safety of all patients, and expanded access to key services, including intensive care, emergency, diagnostic imaging and operating suites.
The ministry will work with Collingwood General and Marine Hospital to complete detailed planning and design for this project. A construction schedule will be confirmed once future planning is complete and the project is tendered and awarded.
“This is a monumental day in Collingwood’s history. The new hospital will transform patient care and ensure our residents can receive high-quality care close to home,” said Collingwood Mayor Yvonne Hamlin. “We have been working tirelessly to secure this new hospital and I am thrilled to say we did it. I am grateful to Premier Ford and Deputy PremierJones for this essential investment in our region’s future.”
The Town of Collingwood has shown its commitment to the hospital redevelopment by allocating $3.9 million from the proceeds of the Hydro utility sale and transferring reserve funds. In addition, the town secured the lands on Poplar Sideroad for the hospital as part of the community benefits obtained from a developer through the Ministerial Zoning Order.
The Town of Collingwood, in a press release, said it extends its gratitude to the community leaders and stakeholders who have beeninstrumental in championing, fundraising, and advocating for the hospital redevelopment including the CGMH board of directors, the CGMH Foundation, Saunderson’s office, current and past members of Collingwood council, and municipalities in the South Georgian Bay Region that have worked relentlessly to raise funds and elevate the profile of the project.
“Thank you to all of those who made this happen. We look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with CGMH and the South Georgian Bay regional mayors and councils on the next steps for this project,” said Hamlin.
In 2016, Clearview council approved a new funding formula for CGMH of $25,000, starting in 2017, which would increase by $50,000 each year until it reached a $300,000 per year reserve transfer, resulting in
a total accumulated reserve of $3.6 million over 15 years. The funds will be held in a reserve at Clearview until a future date that council determines to transfer the funds to the hospital. At the end of 2023, the reserve balance was at $1,000,000 with an additional $300,000 transfer budgeted for 2024.
For more information about the project, visit yourfuturehospital.com.
Contributed photo: From left, CGMH board chair Barry Goodwin, Collingwood Mayor Yvonne Hamlin, CGMH president and CEO Michael Lacroix, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Sylvia Jones, Simcoe-Grey MPP Brian Saunderson, at the Dec. 12 funding announcement.
