Ontario Continues to Increase Base Funding for Niagara Health

December 10, 2025

St. Catharines – As part of Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care, the Ontario government continues to increase the base funding of Niagara Health to connect more patients and families in Niagara to more convenient, high-quality care close to home.

Total base funding for Niagara Health has increased from over $464 million in 2018-19 to over $717 million in 2024-25, an increase of over forty-two percent. This provincial support does not include capital improvements to Niagara Health sites, including $3.6 billion to build the new South Niagara Hospital, as well as a planning grant to renovate and build additional capacity at the Welland Hospital.

The Ontario government is investing over $91 billion in the province’s health-care system this year alone, including a four percent increase in the hospital sector for the third consecutive year and nearly $60 billion for major health infrastructure over ten years. As a result, since 2018, the province has built 3,500 new hospital beds and is building over fifty hospital development projects, as well as adding 100,000 new nurses and 15,000 new physicians.

“Our government continues to provide record funding for hospitals across the province, including year-over-year increases for Niagara Health,” said Sam Oosterhoff, MPP for Niagara West.

“With the completion of the new West Lincoln Memorial Hospital in Grimsby and ongoing construction of the South Niagara Hospital in Niagara Falls, the province is adding nearly 600 new beds across Niagara. These critical projects are increasing capacity, reducing wait times and bringing state of the art technology to our region.”

“Our government is making record investments to expand hospital capacity to ensure people in Niagara can continue to access high-quality care when and where they need it,” said Hon. Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health.

“With significant increases to Niagara Health’s base funding and major capital projects underway across the region, our government is reducing wait times, supporting frontline staff and building a stronger, more connected health care system for families across Niagara.”

In the 2025 Ontario Budget: A Plan to Protect Ontario, the Ontario government is making available up to $1.1 billion in additional hospital funding for 2025-26, which includes up to four percent in base and targeted funding, and one-time funding for the surgical system. As part of this investment, the government is working collaboratively with hospitals across the province – including Niagara Health – to enhance accountability and operational improvements, while ensuring the people of Ontario continue to have access to high-quality public hospital services. With this funding, Ontario continues its historic investment in hospitals for a third consecutive year, providing more connected and convenient care across the province.

As part of the province’s ongoing commitment to Ontario’s hospitals, the government has provided $2,132,556 through the Health Infrastructure Renewal Fund for Niagara Health to support critical upgrades, repairs and maintenance.

The Ontario government has also increased the Land Ambulance Service Grant for Niagara from $28,065,084 to $30,317,806 – an increase of eight percent in provincial support. This increase, along with $1,853,196 in funding from the Dedicated Offload Nurses Program, totals over $32 million in Niagara to connect people to emergency care faster and increase the availability of ambulances.

As well as increases to funding for Niagara Health, the province is supporting the expansion of primary care in Niagara, investing over $2 million through new and expanded primary care teams to connect nearly 10,000 more people to a family doctor, nurse practitioner or primary care team across the region.