With a provincial election just eight months away, four Ontario Liberal members of the legislature descended on Ottawa Friday to announce $11.3 million in new operating funds for four hospitals in Ottawa and the Ottawa Valley.

"This funding will help hospitals across the region deliver services like day surgery and ambulatory care," said Bob Chiarelli, MPP (Ottawa West - Nepean). "We're committed to working with all partners in the health sector to deliver quality public health care service to Ottawa area individuals, families and seniors," he said.

The funding includes:

• $21,200 for the Arnprior and District Memorial Hospital, to support the newly expanded emergency department.
• $4,755,600 to the Montfort Hospital to support the expansion of medical, surgical, intensive care, surgical care for pregnant women and their babies and neonatal inpatient services, as well as ambulatory-care services for day surgery, emergency, mental health, cardiac care, diabetic education and orthopaedics.
• $6,592,500 to the Ottawa Hospital to support outpatient cancer care services and to help the hospital better meet the needs of the community.
• $11,000 to the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario to support the recently added east wing and renovations.

The province said the funding is to help the hospitals expand services following several recently completed redevelopment projects.

"This funding will help hospitals across the region deliver services like day surgery and ambulatory care," said Bob Chiarelli, MPP (Ottawa West - Nepean).

"We're committed to working with all partners in the health sector to deliver quality public health care service to Ottawa area individuals, families and seniors," he said

"We are delighted to continue working in partnership with the LHIN [Local Health Integration Network] and the province on behalf of our patients," said Dr. Jack Kitts, CEO of The Ottawa Hospital.

"Patients will have improved access to health care as a result of these new operating dollars for hospitals in our region," said Champlain LHIN CEO Alex Munter.

"The investments will help hospitals meet a growing demand for health services, providing people with care when they need it."

Besides Chiarelli, the other MPPs at the news conference were Madeleine Meilleur (Ottawa-Vanier), Yasir Naqvi (Ottawa-Centre) and Phil McNeely (Ottawa-Orleans).