Healthcare funding in York Region falls drastically behind provincial average

NEWMARKET - York region residents receive less per capita funding from the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care than other Ontarians. This was an early finding of the Human Services Planning Coalition (HSPC) of York Region Task Force on Healthcare Funding.

"A significant investment in York region's health care system will ensure that our residents are equitably treated," says Regional Councillor Joyce Frustaglio and Co-Chair of the HSPC.

The HSPC report entitled Fair is Fair – Health Care Investment in York Region states that healthcare providers are doing their best to respond to rapid growth, but are falling behind because they are still trying to catch up to historical underfunding.

Although York region's rate of growth in 1999 was 5.6 % compared to the province's growth rate of 1.3%, provincial healthcare funding for York Region has not kept pace:

• community mental health funding was 62% lower than the provincial funding average
• hospital funding was 60% lower than the provincial funding average
• Community Care Access Centre funding was 31% lower than the provincial funding average
• both long term care facilities and public health funding were 20% lower

"York region needs equitable and timely funding because rapid growth requires new investment," says Bill Hogarth, Director of Education for the York Region District School Board and Co-chair of the HSPC. "Continued population growth also requires more services for everyone -- especially for seniors."

The HSPC has released a brochure to educate citizens about the magnitude of the region's health care underfunding. The HSPC report about the lack of healthcare funding in York region will be released in the fall.

The HSPC was established in 2001 to support long-term, integrated planning and funding of human services, which include social services, public health, education and policing. Its goal is to have all human service providers and levels of government working together to ensure York region residents have strong, caring and safe communities. For more information about the Human Service Planning Coalition and The Regional Municipality of York, visit www.region.york.on.ca. -30-

Contact: Patrick Casey, Senior Media Relations Specialist, York Region

• (905) 830-4444, ext. 1235
• Email: patrick.casey@region.york.on.ca