Rural Hospitals Receive Funding for Upgrades and Repairs
[Perth-Wellington] – Today, Matthew Rae, MPP for Perth-Wellington, announced hospitals throughout Perth and Wellington Counties will receive over $6.1 million in funding through the Health Infrastructure Renewal Fund (HIRF) and Exceptional Circumstances Project (ECP) Grant. The funding will support local hospitals as they make critical upgrades, repairs, and maintain their facilities.
“Our local public hospitals provide high quality care,” MPP Rae said. “It is funding like this, that will allow them to continue providing that care locally. This funding demonstrates our government’s commitment to our local rural hospitals.”
The Ontario government is investing more than $228 million this year to support critical infrastructure upgrades, and repairs at 129 hospitals and 58 community health care facilities across the province. This funding from the province allows its health care providers to address urgent infrastructure renewal needs such as upgrades or replacements of roofs, windows, security systems, fire alarms, and back-up generators.
This year’s increase includes an additional $20 million through the Exceptional Circumstances Project (ECP) Grant which is designed to provide targeted support for the most urgent hospital infrastructure renewal needs throughout the province.
“Under the leadership of Premier Ford, our government is making record investments in the health care system to ensure people are able to access care at state-of-the-art hospitals and community health providers,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “This year our government is investing an additional $20 million to allow facilities to modernize and make critical upgrades, ensuring people can connect to the care they need, when they need it, close to home.”
2024-25 funding as provided by the Ministry of Health:
| Hospital | Total 2024-25 HIRF Funding | Total 2024-25 ECP Funding | Total Funding |
| Listowel Memorial Hospital | $247,864 | $3,000,000 | $3,247,864 |
| North Wellington Health Care Corporation | $365,881 | $850,000 | $1,215,881 |
| St. Marys Memorial Hospital | $217,228 | | $217,228 |
| Stratford General Hospital | $1,439,918 | | $1,439,918 |
| Total | $6,120,891 |
The Canadian Mental Health Association – Waterloo Wellington Branch will also receive $72,098 through the Community Infrastructure Renewal Fund (CIRF).
“The Listowel Memorial Hospital is always appreciative of the Hospital Infrastructure Renewal funding from the Province of Ontario,” said Karl Ellis, President and CEO of Listowel Wingham Hospital Alliance. “We will be using the funding to complete a multi-year heating, ventilation and air conditioning project along with building security upgrades.”
“We are grateful to the Ministry of Health for investing in the infrastructure of our hospitals, helping to make the necessary facility improvements to provide care in modern, well-maintained spaces so that we can most effectively meet our patients’ needs,” says Angela Stanley, President and CEO of North Wellington Health Care. “The HIRF funds will support some of our critical infrastructure projects, including updating electrical equipment and power supplies to prepare for the planned MRI installation.”
HIRF was established in 1999 and provides annualized funding to assist hospitals in renewing their facilities. This includes upgrades, repairs, and maintenance projects. Grants through the HIRF supplement hospital needs on a priority basis. This allows hospitals to decide where to invest the money and lets them proceed quickly with projects.