By Jenn Watt

Published August 9 2016

Haliburton Highlands Health Services will be improving its infrastructure with a chunk of money from the provincial government.

Last week MPP Jeff Leal’s office announced HHHS will receive $819640 through the Health Infrastructure Renewal Fund set-up by the provincial government to keep hospitals in “good repair” according to a release.

Dave Bonham chairman of the HHHS board said on Friday that the money will be used at both hospital and long-term care sites: Minden and Haliburton.

Sidewalks and flooring will be fixed up using the funds he said.

In 2016-17 the government is spending some $175 million on repairs across the province at 135 hospitals.

“With this important funding our government is working to ensure that we are building a health care system across Ontario that delivers faster access to services and a sustainable system that will be there for the people in Eastern Ontario in the future” said Leal in the release. “Making these necessary investments in our hospitals is part of our commitment to put patients first by ensuring that they get the high-quality health care they need — when they need it.”

Leal is the minister responsible for rural affairs in the Liberal government and he is MPP for the riding of Peterborough.