A capital fundraising campaign will kick into high gear thanks to the province's approval of six new hospice beds in the south end of Bruce-Grey, and northern Huron County.
The executive director of the Residential Hospice Grey-Bruce Alex Hector said the announcement means the next step is to raise the community portion of funding that will establish a satellite hospice location in the south part of the region.
When the beds open, the government will provide $20.3 million each year in operational funding for nursing, personal support, and other services.
Huron-Bruce MPP and Education Minister Lisa Thompson welcomed the news. She said local volunteers from Brockton, Mildmay, Walkerton, Hanover, and surrounding area worked hard to make this happen.
Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MPP and Government and Consumer Services Minister Bill Walker said everyone should have access to dignified end-of-life care of their choosing.
Ontario is investing nearly $33.6 million to build 193 new hospice beds across the province.
Hospices provide patients with palliative care in a comfortable space, where they can be close to loved ones. In this environment, family and friends can have peace of mind knowing that patients will have access to appropriate end-of-life care.
“Building new hospice beds across Ontario will provide people with end-of-life care and support in a more comfortable setting,” said Christine Elliott, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. “With early investments like these, our government is ensuring that these patients are provided with the proper comfort, dignity and respect they deserve. This will also help to make more beds available for those who need hospital care. Our government is moving forward quickly to address challenges facing the health care system as we develop our long-term transformational health care strategy.”