Live Chat: New funding for hospitals could impact Quinte

By Robert Champagne

BELLEVILLE – A new round of funding for Quinte area hospitals from the province could help alleviate issues with local health services, but more information is needed, according to officials.

The current Liberal government increased funding for healthcare to $822-million, province-wide. Quinte Healthcare Corporation is expected to receive about $3-million in additional funding this fiscal year.

A new hospital for Picton is also in the works, as the province provided a grant to help plan for a redevelopment of the Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital.

Currently, the Ontario Liberals, NDP and Progressive Conservatives all want to reduce wait times in emergency rooms, as well as increase the quality of service. So far both the NDP and PCs haven’t provided details on how they will make this happen.

Premier Kathleen Wynne hopes the increase in funding by her current government will show how the Liberals plans to address the issues of over-crowding, wait times and stress on the hospital staff.

All this and more will be part of a live chat conversation about the local hospital services hosted by QNet News. Join an online live chat on April 17 from 6:30 p.m. until 7:00 to take part in an interactive discussion about a topic that will certainly be in the forefront of political discourse as we come closer to the election in June.