Monday, March 21, 2016
Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care
Ontario Investing More Than $50 Billion in Health Care
2016 Budget Includes $1 Billion Increase to Health Care Funding
As part of the 2016 Budget, Ontario is continuing to make greater investment in Ontario's health care system to give Ontario's health care system to give Ontarians faster access to the right care, now and in the future. In 2016-17, the government would be investing $51.8 billion in health care.
Highlights include:
- Investing more than $345 million in publicly-funded hospitals, including a one percent increase to base funding.
- Creating more integrated, team-based primary care with an additional $85 million over three years to recruit and retain qualified primary care staff.
- An additional $130 million in cancer care services, over the next three years, allowing for the delivery of more services and preventive programs.
- Increasing funding by $250 million to expand capacity to deliver high-quality home and community care.
- Making the shingles vaccine free for eligible seniors aged 65 to 70, saving them about $170 in out-of-pocket expenses.
- As part of the 10-year Mental Health and Addictions Strategy, investing an additional $4 million for 248 new supportive housing units.
- Investing an additional $75 million in community-based hospices and palliative care, for a total investment of about $155 million over three years.
- Increasing annual funding for Behavioural Supports Ontario by $10 million, building on base funding of $44 million and other substantial increases the government has made in long-term care homes since 2003/04.
- Keeping Ontarians healthy by using $5 million of increased revenues from new tobacco tax to support investments to enhance priority populations' access to smoking cessation services.
Through recent actions to transform health care, the Province has increased patients' access to primary care, provided more care for people at home, and reduced wait times for surgeries, diagnostic procedures and emergency department care.
Increased investment in health care is part of the government's plan to build a better Ontario through its Patients First: Action Plan for Health Care, which provides patients with faster access to the care; better home and community care; the information they need to live healthy; and a health care system that is sustainable for generations to come.
Quick Facts:
- The government has invested almost $2 billion to significantly reduce wait times since 2003-04.
- Health care funding has increased from $29.2 billion in 2003/2004 to $50.8 billion in 2015/2016.
- Hospital funding in Ontario has increased more than 50 percent, from $11.3 billion in 2003-04 to $17.4 billion in 2016-17.
Additional Resources:
Quotes:
"With this new and important funding, we are working to ensure that patients have faster access to the right care, now and in the future. Making these necessary investments in our health care system is part of our commitment to put patients first by ensuring they get the high-quality health care they need – when they need it."
— Dr. Eric Hoskins, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care
"The province’s economic plan supports strong public services in communities across Ontario. The plan reinforces one of the most important provincial services on which Ontarians rely – health care. The 2016 Budget supports continued commitments to increase patients’ access to primary care, to provide more care for people at or close to home and to help all Ontario families continue to receive quality health care."
— Charles Sousa, Minister of Finance
"The investments our government is making for Hamilton Health Sciences reflect the province’s ongoing commitment to work with local communities to ensure that the health care system continues to improve and is equipped to serve every patient’s unique needs."
— Ted McMeekin, Member of Provincial Parliament, Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale
"The increased resources reflected in today’s announcement will go to supporting frontline care, help to keep wait times low, sustain access to elective surgery and ensure that important health service programs are maintained."
— Rob MacIsaac, President and CEO of Hamilton Health Sciences
Media Contacts:
David Jensen
Communications and Marketing Division, MOHLTC
416-314-6197
media.moh@ontario.ca
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