THUNDER BAY — Donor support will finance $27.2 million in hospital equipment, research and patient-care projects through the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation’s largest capital-grant year to date.
The grants reach nearly every area of Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and include support for smaller Northwestern Ontario hospitals.
The largest allocation is $4.8 million over two years to replace and expand the regional hospital’s cardiac-monitoring system. Other major approvals include $2.28 million for a replacement CT scanner, $2.16 million for operating-room anesthesia machines and $1.74 million to replace a cardiac catheterization laboratory.
The foundation is also putting another $720,000 toward the developing cardiovascular surgery program. That brings its reported commitment to the program above $24 million.
More than $5 million is to be reserved over five years for research and innovation, including new projects, collaboration among health-care teams and work toward a research-chair program.
Another $150,000 was approved through Family CARE Grants, which support staff-designed projects intended to improve the experience of patients and families.
Regional hospitals share in grants
The package includes $230,473 in regional and external grants. Wilson Memorial General Hospital in Marathon is to receive $36,090 for equipment used in palliative and oncology care, including IV pumps, a bladder scanner and a vital-signs monitor.
Foundation records show it has provided more than $109 million to Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre since 2010.
The announcement is a funding approval, not confirmation that every device is already installed or in service. Procurement, installation and staff training timelines were not included in the public summary and should be confirmed for follow-up coverage.
For patients, the practical value will depend on when aging systems are replaced, whether the new equipment adds capacity and how it affects wait times, transfers and access to care closer to home.
