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The province is cutting a big cheque for the North Bay Regional Health Centre today.
In recognizing the need for COVID-19 support, Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli announced an investment of $2,581,588 for the North Bay Regional Health Centre.
The announcement came through a Zoom media conference Friday morning.
“Our government is grateful for the incredible efforts and sacrifices made by the North Bay Regional Health Centre to protect the health and safety of local citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Vic Fedeli, MPP for Nipissing in a release.
“We continue to find new ways to support the hospital sector as the pandemic evolves.”
The funding breakdown is as follows:
- $1,806,134 in COVID-19 related reimbursements for Q1 of this fiscal year
- $775,454 in reimbursements for the months of February and March of FY 2020-2021
Paul Heinrich, President of the North Bay Regional Health Centre says this funding will help stabilize our organization as we move forward through the next stages of this pandemic.
"The money will help cover some of the additional costs incurred by hospitals to ensure we could continue to provide a safe environment for our staff, patients and community,” said Heinrich.
Al McDonald, North Bay's mayor, thanked the provincial government for its continued support for the regional hospital.
"This funding will help ensure that North Bay and area residents will continue to receive excellent care,” he said.
“The doctors and nurses and other health care professionals at the North Bay Regional Health Centre have been on the frontline of the pandemic since the very beginning, helping to safeguard the community, while treating those with COVID-19 and other patients,” said Mayor Al McDonald.
In March 2020, the Ontario government announced an additional investment of $571.9 million to reimburse hospitals for COVID-19 expenses incurred during the first wave of the pandemic. Since then, the government has continued to reimburse hospitals for various COVID-19 expenses, including those related to vaccine delivery, a range of health human resources initiatives, and minor capital costs to operationalize beds targeted for COVID-19 patients.
In addition, the Ontario government took further action to support North Bay Regional Health Centre during the COVID-19 pandemic by increasing the hospital’s operating funding for the third straight year, providing over $2.4 million in additional operating funding starting in 2021/22.
