Ontario adds $44M to fund aimed at reducing ER wait times

Ontario is adding $44 million to a fund for hospitals to help reduce ER wait times and allowing more hospitals to qualify.

The new funding is on top of $90 million a year from the province to reward ERs that put in place what the government calls innovative solutions to reduce wait times.

Health Minister Sylvia Jones made the announcement in Ottawa today, saying the additional funding will help hospitals deliver emergency care faster to the communities they serve.

The fund is also being expanded to allow smaller hospitals to qualify -- those that have fewer than 30,000 ER visits a year.

Jones says that will support up to 90 more hospitals across Ontario, "allowing them to further address staffing challenges and mitigate closures."

Ontario has already seen temporary emergency room closures at many hospitals across the province this year due to staffing challenges, largely in smaller and rural communities, and often through the overnight hours.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 20, 2023.