Ontario’s hospitals are getting a pre-election cash infusion of $822 million, a 4.6-per-cent boost for the next year to ease overcrowding and reduce wait times for patients. Premier Kathleen Wynne announced the money Thursday at North York General, saying it will fill gaps in services but would not guarantee an end to what opposition parties call “hallway medicine.” “What I can promise is people will get faster care in hospitals across the province,” Wynne told reporters, noting North York hospital’s share will be $10.8 million.“This is not a time to pull back. This is not a time to make big cuts in services,” she said in a reference to rival new Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford’s promise to shrink the provincial budget by finding “efficiencies.”Details of the increase in base funding — on top of a 3.2-per-cent hike announced a year ago — for all 143 hospitals across the province will be announced Friday as MPPs return to their ridings for the weekend as the June 7 provincial election approaches. The money is one of several announcements from Wynne this week, including the expansion of pharmacare to seniors, that will be included in Finance Minister Charles Sousa’s spring budget next Wednesday, forming the basis for the Liberal government’s re-election platform. New Democrat Leader Andrea Horwath has been hammering the government on hospital overcrowding, particularly in fast-growing Brampton, and has promised, as has Ford, to bring an end to “hallway medicine” if elected premier.The term refers to treatment of emergency and other patients in hospital hallways because beds cannot be found for them, due to a fast-growing population, surges in demand for care because of the flu, and about 4,500 patients, such as the frail elderly, waiting in hospitals for spots to open up in nursing homes.Ontario Hospital Association president and chief executive Anthony ...
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