CEO of the NWHU Marilyn Herbacz. File Photo.
The Northwestern Health Unit is poised to spend over $22-million in 2022.
The Board of Health approved the budget in November, but it still needs final approval from the Ministry of Health.
The health unit is asking for a two per cent increase in funding from the province.
Chief Executive Officer Marilyn Herbacz says the province has approved mitigation funding of over $872-thousand.
“This is so municipalities didn’t have to feel the full impact of the cost-sharing change which occurred in 2019,” says Herbacz.
The Ford government revised the funding formula to create a 70 per cent provincial and 30 per cent municipal split on programming costs.
Municipalities across the Kenora and Rainy River districts’ total share is over $2.4 million, or 22 per cent of the health unit’s overall budget.
That’s an increase of 1.01 over last year’s contribution.
Chief Executive Officer Marilyn Herbacz says one of the asks from the province is for additional funds for a senior dental care program, which is 100 per cent funded by the province.
“The Ministry had indicated that the one-time funding for capital projects given out in 2019 and 2020 would be now available to public health units across the province, and this is one of the reasons why we’re able to ask for an increase in the base for this program,” says Herbacz.
The Health Unit has been trying to get a mobile unit up and running for the program, but it’s been delayed by difficulties in acquiring parts.
Herbacz says its expected final approval of the health unit’s budget will come by April.
