Ontario is investing over $5.8 million to assist with upgrades, repairs, and renewal projects at five hospitals in the Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke area.
This funding was announced on August 14 and is part of a larger provincial commitment of more than $266 million through the Health Infrastructure Renewal Fund (HIRF), which supports infrastructure improvements at 126 hospitals across Ontario.
The local funding will be allocated among five hospitals:
Pembroke Regional Hospital – $2,445,167 Deep River and District Hospital – $1,175,275 St. Francis Memorial Hospital – $442,091 Renfrew Victoria Hospital – $985,604 Arnprior Regional Health – $787,168
Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke MPP Billy Denault expressed that this funding will ensure that local hospitals can keep providing care within their communities.
“This crucial funding through the Health Infrastructure Renewal Fund is critical to ensuring critical institutions like our local hospitals continue to provide care closer to home,” Denault said. “By supporting essential repairs, upgrades and renewal projects, this funding strengthens the facilities our residents rely on every day. I am grateful to the Province of Ontario for continuing to invest in the healthcare infrastructure that serves communities across Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke.”
Pembroke Regional Hospital President and CEO Sabine Mersmann highlighted how important this funding is as they tackle the needs of their aging facilities.
“We are very pleased and grateful to the Ministry of Health for this significant investment through the Health Infrastructure Renewal Fund,” she said. “As a hospital with aging facilities, this funding is critical in helping us address essential infrastructure needs – from ongoing upgrades and urgent repairs, such as our recent plumbing challenges, to major projects that improve the safety, reliability, and sustainability of our hospital. Previous HIRF investments enabled the installation of state-of-the-art fire suppression systems in renovated patient care areas, a project that was recently put to the test and helped prevent a far more serious outcome. Investments like these play a vital role in modernizing our infrastructure, supporting a greener future, and ensuring we can continue delivering safe, high-quality care to our community for years to come.”
Renfrew Victoria Hospital and St. Francis Memorial Hospital President and CEO Suzanne Madore noted that this investment will help fund renewal work at both facilities.
“Strong, well-maintained infrastructure is essential to delivering safe, high-quality care close to home. This funding will help ensure our facilities continue to meet the needs of patients, families, staff, physicians, and volunteers today and well into the future,” Madore said.
Deep River and District Health President and CEO Janna Hotson mentioned how crucial infrastructure funding is for maintaining hospital facilities.
“Reliable base funding and continued investment in hospital infrastructure are both critical to the future of healthcare. This infrastructure renewal funding will enable our hospital to preserve safe, functional, and welcoming care environments ensuring our facilities can continue supporting exceptional care for patientsandthe teams who deliver it,” she said.
Arnprior Regional Health Board chairperson Oliver Jacob expressed gratitude towards the provinceand Denaultfor their support through this investment.
“These investments reflect a strong commitmentto local health careandto ensuringthat hospitals like ours cancontinue tomeet theneeds ofour growingcommunity whilehelpingtoaddress pressinginfrastructure needs,” Jacobsaid.
The Health Infrastructure Renewal Fund backs projects targeting urgent infrastructure requirements such as replacing or upgrading roofs, windows, securitiesystems, firealarms, andemergencygenerators.
Accordingto provincial officials, HIRFfunding has grown by10 percent annuallysince2024, enabling morehospitals totakeon repairsandupgrades.
Anthony Dixon is an award-winning journalistandphotographerandtheeditorofthe Pembroke Observerand News coveringthebiggeststoriesinthe Upper Ottawa Valley. adixon
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