The Chief Financial Officer at Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare is applauding the Ontario budget, specifically, the money set aside for mental health care.
The spending plan announced Thursday includes $11.5 billion in new health-care spending over the next three years.
The so-called "booster shot" includes $1.3 billion to help cut wait times to see specialists, get key surgeries and access mental health services.
Marie Campagna says "Canada, as a whole, is starting to realize the importance of mental health services."
"It is excellent news. As you know Hotel-Dieu is very passionate about mental health and we are very excited that the government has chosen to look at mental health and to fund mental health," says Campagna. "We are waiting to see the specific details but Hotel-Dieu is ready, willing and able to make a difference in our community in mental health."
Campagna also says there has been an increasing demand for mental health specialists in the region. "I think there is a recognition by the government that more investments are needed in health and I think our whole community welcomes that."
The new health-care spending also includes funds earmarked for hospital construction, such as new facilities in Niagara and Windsor.