The Manitoba government is investing more than $358 million in capital projects throughout the province to ensure Manitobans have safe, reliable care at Manitoba’s health-care facilities for years to come.
“Our government is undertaking the most significant transformation to the Manitoba health-care system in 40 years,” said Health, Seniors and Active Living Minister Cameron Friesen. “These investments continue with that generational change, creating an impact that will not just be felt today, but decades from now.”
The investment will be:
- $280 million to safety upgrades to personal care homes,
- $46 million to digital health initiatives, and
- $32 million to equipment and infrastructure upgrades at health-care facilities.
A request for proposals and public tenders for construction will be sent out for these investments.
The safety and capital upgrades at personal care homes are intended to build on the government’s commitment to ensure health-care facilities are in line with revised Manitoba Fire Code requirements including provision of fire suppression systems and increased fire separation enhancements to better protect residents, staff and the public.
The eHealth initiatives will include upgrading the provincial electronic health record system, eChart Manitoba. There will also various other projects such as replacing voice recognition systems used for dictation and transcription, and upgrading critical hardware and software used across the health-care system,
Each year, the regional health authorities, CancerCare Manitoba, Shared Health and the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba submit requests for safety and security projects at sites across the province. This year, the province is providing more than $17.4 million for 85 projects expected to cost less than $500,000 each.
In addition, a further $15.3 million will be invested in replacement equipment in each of the regional health authorities and for diagnostic services provided through Shared Health Manitoba. More than 150 pieces of equipment will be purchased and installed including equipment for microbiology and virology, gastroscopes, endoscopes, colonoscopes, anesthetic machines, fetal and cardiac monitors, surgical tables and instruments, newborn bed warmers, hypothermia heating units, stress exercise equipment and bladder scanners.
Specific cost estimates are not being released, as they are subject to the tendering process, the minister noted. He added the construction work will begin once the projects are publicly tendered and a contract awarded.
Provincial funding is provided to health facilities and regional health authorities for new construction and ongoing maintenance. This includes many multi-year projects from across the health-care system including safety and security projects, specialized equipment purchases and installation, information communication and technology projects, and major infrastructure investments.
