Arthritis Society responds to Ontario budget

Statement from Trish Barbato, President and CEO  

We applaud the Ontario government and Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy for making the surgical backlog a priority in today’s budget.

Funding for hospital infrastructure and the $300 million investment in 2022-23 for the Surgical Recovery Strategy announced in the budget is welcome news for the thousands of Ontarians living with arthritis and waiting in pain for their joint replacement surgery. Funding is critical, however money alone will not fix wait times. It’s time for innovative solutions to address this urgent health crisis. The Arthritis Society’s report on joint replacement wait times provides concrete recommendations. We look forward to opportunities to work with the Surgical Recovery Strategy on this top priority for Ontarians living with arthritis.

The Arthritis Society was also pleased to see other health and social investments in the budget including funding for the Life Sciences Innovation Program, Home Care, Ontario Seniors Care at Home Tax Credit and Home and Vehicle Modification Program.

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