Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced $2.5 million funding to “upgrade and expand” Brantford General Hospital and Willett Hospital, an announcement that surprised many who expected the premier to talk about the end of mask mandates.
“With today’s announcement, we are delivering real help to the people of Brant and Brantford as we build a more resilient and stronger health care system across Ontario,” the premier said.
“Because of the sacrifices made by every Ontarian and the amazing care provided by our healthcare heroes, we have been able to safely and cautiously reopen the province,” said Ford at a news conference in Brantford, Ont.
Minister of Health Christine Elliott joined Ford on the announcement and said the investment will help the hospital to meet the growing demands of the communities.
The Ford government said the hospital will be able to increase the total number of beds from 310 to 384 across its two sites.
The Brantford General redevelopment will include a new patient care tower and expansion of capacity for intensive care, rehabilitation and complex continuing care, and ambulatory services.
The Willett site will get new technologies, including a new satellite dialysis unit, expanded urgent care centre, chronic disease management clinic, and upgraded transition care for patients.
When asked about the mask mandates, the premier deferred to the province’s chief medical officer, Dr. Kieran Moore, who, also on Wednesday, announced how the province plans to “live with and manage COVID-19.”
Thirty minutes after Ford’s announcement, Moore said the province will remove masking requirements in all remaining settings on April 27.
After that date, officials said that masks will not be mandatory but will be encouraged and recommended for those who are immunocompromised, at high risk, or who choose to use them.
“Right now, we’re doing fairly well, but we’re always going to be cautious. And anyone who wants to wear a mask … they’re more than welcome to,” the premier said.
“We have to move forward from this. People are exhausted, and the poor kids in those classrooms, too,” said Ford.
Ford also said local medical officers of health will have to go through Moore to implement their own mask mandates in their specific regions.
Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath called Ford’s decision to lift the mask mandate is premature.
“What is concerning is that the head of the science table says that we don’t have the data to make that call,” she said.
“So if the province isn’t listening to the head of its own science tables, … who are they listening to for evidence that now is the time to stop wearing masks?” said Horwath on Wednesday in the Ontario Legislature.
Leader of the Ontario Liberal Party Steven Del Duca issued a statement saying Ford “doesn’t learn from his mistakes.”
“While I accept the Chief Medical Officer of Health’s advice that Ontario should end mandatory mask restrictions outside of higher-risk, essential public services and areas later this month, I am drawing a line in the sand on our schools.”
“He’s got it wrong again. I side with Ontario’s top children’s health experts who urged Doug Ford that ‘now is not the time’ to lift the masking requirements in schools,” said Del Duca.
The province has already begun rolling back pandemic measures. As of March 1, Proof-of-vaccination rules were no longer required for certain businesses.