It’s been 13 years since Bruce Power took over operations of the Bruce nuclear site and it’s proving to be a lucky anniversary for local hospitals.

President and CEO Duncan Hawthorne announced the company is donating $2-million towards renovations at local hospitals, which will be split evenly between Grey Bruce Health Services and the South Bruce Grey Health Centre.

Hawthorne says the decision was an easy one for Bruce Power, pointing out their employees make up a big chunk of the population in Bruce and Grey, so helping the hospitals also helps out the employees.

Grey Bruce Health Services President and CEO Maureen Solecki says their $1-million portion will be put towards the regional cancer care improvements in Owen Sound, as well as the emergency room renovations at Saugeen Memorial Hospital in Southampton, which has one of the busiest emergency departments in the area.

She says the gift from Bruce Power will change lives across the region and will give them a huge boost when they kick off their public fundraising efforts in the near future.

President and CEO of South Bruce Grey Health Centre Paul Rosebush says the entire $1-million they are receiving will go to the Kincardine and Community Health Care Foundation as part of their community fundraising efforts for the planned renovations of the Kincardine hospital.

Rosebush says it’s not clear yet how much the community will have to raise as part of the project because the plans have not been presented to the hospital board yet, but that will happen in June.