The Ontario government says it is investing more than $3.5 million in Peterborough Regional Health Centre to help reduce surgical wait times and improve access to diagnostic imaging in the region.
The funding includes $2.68 million through the province’s Incremental Surgical Recovery Funding program, which supports hospitals in increasing surgical volumes and addressing procedure backlogs.
According to the province, the funding will allow PRHC to complete more orthopedic procedures, including hip and knee replacements, along with gynecologic surgeries, cataract operations, hernia repairs and pediatric procedures.
An additional $879,750 has been allocated to support expanded CT scan capacity at the hospital as part of a provincewide initiative aimed at increasing diagnostic imaging hours across Ontario hospitals in 2025-26.
The province says the broader program includes up to $81 million in one-time funding to support approximately 324,000 additional CT scan hours at 86 hospitals.
Peterborough MPP Dave Smith said the investment is intended to make it faster and easier for residents to access care locally.
“By providing more than $3.5 million to the Peterborough Regional Health Centre, we are making it easier and faster for people in our community to connect to the care they need,” Smith said in a statement.
Dr. Lynn Mikula said the funding will help improve access to high-demand procedures and diagnostic services across the hospital’s regional catchment area.
Mikula noted CT scan volumes at PRHC have doubled over the past decade, adding that investments in imaging and surgical capacity are critical to serving the approximately 600,000 patients who rely on the hospital across urban and rural communities.
The funding is part of Ontario’s broader efforts to expand frontline health-care services and improve access to care across the province.
