August 27, 2010

Students in Carlisle now have a cleaner, greener and more energy-efficient place to learn.

Through Ontario’s Green Schools Pilot Initiative schools are able to install new technology to help make them more energy-efficient. One local school is benefitting from this initiative:

·      The Hamilton District Catholic School Board is piloting 1 sewage and water treatment project from Green Turtle Technologies Ltd. at Our Lady of Mount Carmel  in Carlisle

This school is among 150 across the province that has received support through the initiative.

This investment supports Ontario’s efforts to reduce environmental footprints in its publicly funded schools. It is also an important part of the government’s Open Ontario plan to strengthen education, which has already delivered results:  smaller class sizes, higher test scores and an improved graduation rate. It also creates local economic benefits and supports a stronger, cleaner, greener economy.

QUOTES

“By using green products and technologies in our schools, we are setting new standards for school energy efficiency while supporting jobs in Ontario’s new green economy.”

-   Ted McMeekin, MPP Ancaster Dundas Flamborough Westdale

“This investment promotes better, greener learning environments and helps teach our students the importance of energy conservation.”

–  Leona Dombrowsky, Minister of Education

QUICK FACTS

·     Ontario has invested $20 million in the Green Schools Pilot Initiative. 

·     The government has also invested $600 million to help over 1,000 schools become more energy efficient through other green school programs.

·      Since 2003, the McGuinty government has invested $5.4 billion through the Good Places to Learn and Energy Efficiency programs.  

·      In 2009, Ontario announced that over 1,000 schools will become more energy efficient and install renewable energy technologies, creating and sustaining over 5,500 jobs.

LEARN MORE

·         Learn about the Green Schools Pilot Initiative.

·         Find out more about capital investments in schools.

August 24, 2010

A new Family Health Team in Burlington is expected to provide over 8,000 patients with greater access to family health services.

Family Health Teams are made up of a team of doctors and other healthcare providers such as nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers and dietitians all working together. They provide quality team-based care and will attach more patients to a family doctor in Tansley Woods.  They also help reduce demand on hospital emergency departments by providing non-emergency care.

There are currently 170 Family Health Teams across the province providing care to over 2.3 million Ontarians and serving over 393,000 previously unattached patients. Today’s announcement is part of the addition of 30 new teams across the province which fulfills Ontario’s commitment to create 200 Family Health Teams.

Health care is one of our greatest economic advantages. This announcement is a key part of the government’s Open Ontario Plan to provide more access to health care services while improving quality and accountability for patients.

QUOTES

“Family Health Teams work, providing invaluable, 24/7 service to more people. The program has been incredibly well received and I am pleased to see it expanded yet again.”

-Ted McMeekin, MPP Ancaster Dundas Flamborough Westdale

"This is exciting news for Burlington residents! As we build and enhance our team we will effectively improve both the accessibility and quality of care that our patients receive. While at the same time, allowing us, the physicians, to manage an increasing volume and complexity of patients within our community and hospital."

-Dr. Amanda Jerome, Tansley Woods Family Health Team

“What makes these Family Health Teams so valuable is that each one is developed with the needs of the community in mind. These additional 30 new teams will provide even greater access to quality heath care for people in the community.”

- Deb Matthews, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care

QUICK FACTS

·         The total number of family physicians in the LHIN  District  of Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant increased by over 9% or 90 doctors between 2003 and 2009.

·         It is expected that once all 200 teams are operational, they will provide access to primary care for nearly 2.7 million Ontarians.

·         Ontarians without a family health care provider can register with Health Care Connect, a program that helps people find a family doctor or nurse practitioner in their community.

·         It is expected that the Superior and Baawating FHTs will be operational within one year.  

LEARN MORE

Find out more about Family Health Teams.

Find out more about Health Care Connect.

July 30, 2010

Ontario Government Targets Construction Workplaces In Safety Campaign

Ontario is launching an eight-week campaign with its health and safety partners to urge workers and employers to put safety first on construction sites across the province.

The province kicked off the campaign at a construction site in Toronto today, emphasizing the need for everyone on the job to train properly, be aware of dangers and keep everyone safe. The tour will be making a number of stops across the province including Hamilton, London, Kitchener, Sault Ste. Marie, Ottawa, Kingston and Peterborough.

A new workplace safety toll-free phone number is also now available. The public and workers can call 1-877-202-0008 to report labour practices or work conditions that appear unsafe.

Sponsored by the Ministry of Labour, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board and the Infrastructure Health & Safety Association, the campaign targets construction sites and local offices with important information that will increase awareness of enforcement and safety.

This campaign follows a recent 90-day safety enforcement blitz of more than 2,800 Ontario construction sites.  During the blitz inspectors found many violations related to missing or inappropriate use of guardrails, scaffolding and fall protection systems and supervisor and worker training.

QUOTE

"Workers, supervisors and employers need to watch out for each other on construction sites. I hope these strong messages will remind them of what's at stake. It's about going home to your family safe and sound at the end of the work day."

–        Peter Fonseca, Minister of Labour

“Construction workers are a vital link in the rebuilding of our local economy. For their livelihoods, as well as their lives, it’s important that all of us support this campaign to keep workers safe.”

- Ted McMeekin, MPP Ancaster Dundas Flamborough Westdale

QUICK FACTS

Since 2005, Ontario has doubled its staff of full-time occupational health and safety inspectors to 430 - including 157 construction inspectors.

This workplace safety campaign has been developed in multiple languages to reach thousands of workers, employers and supervisors across the construction sector.

An expert panel, led by former Cabinet Secretary and Deputy Minister of Labour Tony Dean, is now examining Ontario's occupational health and safety system and will make recommendations this fall on workplace safety issues.

LEARN MORE

Safe At Work Ontario strategy to help strengthen workplace safety

Construction section of the Ministry of Labour website

Expert Advisory Panel on Occupational Health and Safety

Proactive workplace health and safety inspection blitzes

CONTACTS

Greg Dennis

Minister's Office

416-326-7710

Matt Blajer

Communications Branch

416-326-7405

McGuinty Government Expands Successful Pay-for-Results Program

 

July 29, 2010

Ontario is expanding its successful Pay-for-Results Program, which helps Hamilton’s hospitals reduce ER wait times and ensures Hamiltonians can get the emergency care they need.  

 

Last year, four hospitals in Hamilton and Burlington reduced ER wait times by an average of 25 per cent, thanks to funding from this program.

 

These hospitals will receive $2,400,000 in Pay for Results funding to implement initiatives that will help them further reduce ER wait times.

 

• Hamilton General Hospital will receive $610,000 in Pay for Results funding to implement initiatives in the coming year that will help it further reduce ER wait times. Last year Hamilton General Hospital was able to reduce its ER wait times by 12 per cent.

 

• McMaster Children's Hospital will receive $610,300. Last year it reduced ER wait times by 25 per cent.

 

• Henderson General Hospital will receive $576,400. Last year it reduced ER wait times by 49 per cent.

 

• Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital will receive $612,300. Last year it reduced ER wait times by 11 per.

 

Since it was created in 2008, the program has already helped the 46 participating hospitals reduce ER wait times by 23 per cent. The program helps hospitals meet specific ER wait time reduction targets.

 

This year, 71 Ontario hospitals will receive Pay-for-Results funding. All of them have committed to treating more patients within the targets, aiming to improve by 15 per cent over the course of the year.  

 

To reach the target, hospitals will use the funds to do things like:

§ expand staffing as part of emergency department teams and reorganize how these teams interact to encourage more collaboration,

 

§ create designated areas within the ER to ensure rapid assessment and  to improve patient flow. 

 

Reducing ER wait times builds on the government’s Open Ontario plan to provide more access to health care services while improving accountability for patients.

 

QUOTES

 

“I’m especially pleased to see how much our Hamilton hospitals have already improved. This is great news for the whole community.”

-- Sophia Aggelonitis, MPP, Hamilton Mountain

 

“Patients deserve timely, high quality care when sudden injury or illness takes them to the hospital. We continue to work with hospitals to ensure their ERs are running as efficiently as possible.”

-- Ted McMeekin, MPP, Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale 

 

“I’m so encouraged by the results participating hospitals have achieved since we launched the Pay for Results program in 2008. I’m excited to expand this program so we can keep building on this success.”

-- Deb Matthews, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care

 

 

QUICK FACTS

 

§ Ontario now reports all surgical and ER wait times online at Ontario.ca/waittimes

 

§ There are 163 emergency rooms in the province, with 2.8 million people making 5.25 million visits to these ERs each year.

 

LEARN MORE

 

Learn about the alternatives to a hospital ER.

 

Find out more about the reporting of the time spent in ERs.