Premier Kathleen Wynne and Minister Michael Gravelle at SLMHC

SIOUX LOOKOUT, ON — Premier Kathleen Wynne and Minister of Northern Development and Mines Michael Gravelle were at Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre (SLMHC) on Thursday, August 11, 2016 to announce historic $222 million over three years in provincial funding for Ontario’s First Nations Health Action Plan.

The Province of Ontario is expanding health care services in the Sioux Lookout region to improve access to culturally appropriate health services and improve outcomes for Indigenous people.

The plan will focus on the North, where there are significant gaps in health services.

Premier Wynne made the announcement at SLMHC as part of her week-long trip to more than a dozen communities across the North. Ontario’s First Nations Health Action Plan is a new commitment to take action on health care for Indigenous people.

The plan includes $3.3 million to increase physician services by 2,641 days for the 28 First Nations communities in the region. There will be an investment $1 million to create more hospital beds for seniors’ care at Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre and more support seniors’ services such as access to housing and culturally appropriate home and community care.

The plan also includes establishing a new family health team to provide more primary care that is culturally appropriate and the appointment of a permanent Associate Medical Officer of Health who is dedicated to Indigenous health for the region.

In addition, Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre will receive more than $290,000 in infrastructure funding.

Ontario will follow this investment with $104.5 million in annual ongoing funding to address health inequities and improve access to health services for the long term. The government will implement and evaluate the plan in close collaboration with Indigenous partners, to ensure that the investments are culturally appropriate and effective.

Left to right: SLMHC VP Corporate Services & Performance / COO Dean Osmond, Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, SLMHC Chief of Staff Terry O’Driscoll, SLMHC President and CEO Dave Murray, SLMHC VP Health Services & CNE Heather Lee, Ontario Minister of Northern Development and Mines Michael Gravelle.