Lakeridge Health and its partners are receiving more than $1 million in provincial funding from the Ontario government to expand capacity for priority programs across Durham Region.
The Lakeridge Health funding includes $824,903 in one-time funding to support additional capacity for priority programs, allowing the hospital network to address increased demand for services and continue reducing wait times for patients across the region. This investment will help the hospital expand services in areas where patient demand has been growing steadily over recent years.
In addition to the main allocation, the health care group will receive $138,000 through the Physician Assistant Career Start program to support three physician assistants. This investment is designed to enhance patient care capacity and improve overall service delivery across the hospital system, helping meet growing demand for medical services throughout Durham Region.
Durham Bone and Joint Specialists will also benefit from the provincial announcement, receiving $92,000 through the same Physician Assistant Career Start program to support two physician assistants. This funding strengthens access to specialized orthopedic care for patients across Durham Region, significantly reducing wait times for bone and joint consultations and surgical procedures.
Physician assistants are supervised by physicians and work as physician extenders, providing direct patient care in a range of clinical settings as members of inter-professional health care teams. They help decrease wait times and improve patient access to services in high-need areas, playing an increasingly important role in the broader Ontario health care system.
Lakeridge Health CEO Cynthia Davis expressed gratitude for the provincial investment, saying the funding will have a direct impact on the overall health of the population in Durham Region. She noted the support will help the hospital continue to reduce wait times, meet growing demand, and deliver quality care that communities across the region deserve.
Davis also highlighted the significance of the physician assistant funding, describing these skilled professionals as valuable team members who strengthen the entire care delivery system and help the hospital care for more patients, faster.
Durham MPP Todd McCarthy said the targeted investments will support faster access to care, strengthen hospital capacity and ensure patients in Whitby and across Durham Region receive more convenient care closer to home. McCarthy emphasized the Ontario government is committed to building a strongly funded health care system so Ontarians can access medical treatment wherever and whenever they may need it.
The Lakeridge Health funding announcement reflects the province’s broader strategy to invest in hospital capacity and health human resources across Ontario. With Durham Region’s population continuing to grow rapidly, hospitals like Lakeridge Health face increasing pressure to expand services and reduce wait times for diagnostic tests, specialist consultations and surgical procedures.
Lakeridge Health operates multiple hospital sites and health care facilities across Durham Region, serving communities in Ajax, Pickering, Whitby, Oshawa, Clarington, Scugog, Uxbridge and Brock. The hospital network has been actively working to expand its services and capacity to keep pace with the region’s ongoing population growth and the resulting increase in demand for quality health care services.
