Health centre to receive $3-million grant to upgrade Kincardine hospital

The South Bruce Grey Health Centre will receive a $3-million Exceptional Circumstance Grant to upgrade the Kincardine hospital.

The announcement was made Wednesday by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, in a press release issued by the health centre which includes hospitals in Kincardine, Walkerton, Durham and Chesley. The grant is for infrastructure renewal in 2016-17.

The health centre applied for the grant earlier this year to address the significant need for infrastructure upgrades at the Kincardine site. The funding will be used to begin the process of replacing the facility's boilers, chillers and other essential equipment to ensure patient and staff comfort.

"We are very pleased to be receiving this funding and the timing is crucial," said Paul Rosebush, president and chief executive officer of the health centre. "Some of the major infrastructure at our Kincardine site will shortly be at end of life. This substantial grant will allow us to keep the Kincardine hospital fully operational to serve our patients."

An additional $477,269 in one-time funding was also allocated through the Health Infrastructure Renewal Fund for facility projects across the entire organization for 2016-17.