Ontario Investing in a Stronger Public Health Sector

Our government is taking an important step forward in delivering on Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care by increasing provincial funding for public health agencies to build a robust public health sector and connect people to faster, more convenient care in their communities.

Starting January 1, 2024, we will restore nearly $47 million in provincial annual base funding for public health units as previously provided under the 75 per cent provincial / 25 per cent municipal cost-share ratio.

In addition, we are providing local public health units with an annual one per cent funding increase over the next three years while we continue to collaborate with municipalities on a long-term sustainable funding agreement.

As a result of our investments in the sector, provincial funding for local public health agencies to support the delivery of public health programs and services has increased by approximately 16 per cent since 2018.

To connect people to emergency care faster and increase ambulance and paramedic availability, our government is increasing land ambulance funding to municipalities by an average of six percent, bringing our total investment this year to over $811 million.

We are investing an additional $51 million through the Dedicated Offload Nurses Program over the next three years which will provide 30 municipalities with around 800,000 hours dedicated to supporting ambulance offloading, ensuring paramedics can get back out into the community faster.

With Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care, our government continues to take action to strengthen the healthcare system so that it is responsive and evolving to meet the health needs and priorities of Ontarians, no matter where they live.

Learn more: https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1003399/ontario-investing-in-a-stronger-public-health-sector