Ontario Health Minister Deb Matthews says hospitals operating under the province's plan to cut emergency-room wait times have reduced waiting by almost 25 per cent.

The Ontario government is expanding its effort to reduce emergency-room wait times across the province.

Speaking at a Thursday afternoon news conference at Toronto's St. Michael's Hospital, Health Minister Deb Matthews said the province will provide an extra $45 million this year to help 25 emergency rooms track patient flow and hire nurse practitioners to help treat and discharge patients.

That's in addition to the $55 million allotted to 46 hospitals as part of the "Pay For Results" program to reduce wait times.

The 71 facilities now covered under the program account for fewer than half of the province's 163 emergency departments.

The hospitals operating under the plan "have been able to demonstrate a reduction in wait times by almost 25 per cent," said Matthews. "So we know it works."

St. Michael's Hospital has made some headway in tackling the issue — the downtown hospital has reduced its average ER wait time to 10 hours from 25.

That makes a world of difference on the front lines, said nurse Mark Yota. "As a nurse, you really notice that patients have more confidence in us and are just happier with us."

But Progressive Conservative health critic Lisa McLeod said many are not so keen to proclaim the plan a success, particularly those who have to wait.

"They think that's simply unsuccessful and simply unworkable for them," she said.

With files from The Canadian Press