January 25, 2007

MISSISSAUGA – The McGuinty government is increasing access to cancer care for Peel and Halton region-area residents with the expansion of cancer treatment at Credit Valley Hospital, Health and Long-Term Care Minister George Smitherman announced today.

“Our government’s plan to give patients better access to cancer treatment and reducing wait times is working,” said Smitherman. “Our latest investment is helping local residents get the life-saving cancer treatment they need closer to home.”

Smitherman was joined today by Mississauga West MPP Bob Delaney, Credit Valley Hospital CEO Wayne Fyffe and Michael Sherar, Provincial Vice President, Regional Programs of Cancer Care Ontario to view a demonstration of the new radiation treatment machine for the centre’s fourth radiation treatment room or “bunker” that’s opening.

The government is providing $5 million to Credit Valley Hospital for infrastructure and related equipment to address radiation treatment demand at the Carlo Fidani Peel Regional Cancer Centre.

“This new equipment addresses cancer care wait time in our community,” said Delaney. “More than 400 new patients – an increase of 35 per cent – will benefit from better access to radiation treatment each year. This is especially important to the many people who moved to this community to build families and homes in the post-war years, and now constitute western Mississauga's fast-growing senior population.”

“I'm delighted the government has invested $5 million to fund the 4th linear accelerator at Credit Valley,” said Wayne Fyffe, CEO of Credit Valley Hospital. “This will enhance our ability to reduce wait times and provide greater access to state of the art radiation therapy for our patients living in Peel and Halton regions and beyond.”

This is just the latest example of how the McGuinty government is fighting cancer. Other initiatives include:

• Launching Canada’s first province-wide colorectal cancer screening program
• A $44.5 million investment to developing new and expanded programs at  six Regional Cancer Centres, to support 21,428 chemotherapy treatments, 106,431 radiation therapy treatments and 93,154 assessment and follow-up cancer services and other activities
• Reducing radiation wait times by 33 per cent over the last three years
• Investing in nine new or expanded regional cancer centres over the last three years
• Investing $152.1 million to fund 19 cancer fighting drugs, including Velcade and Herceptin

Today’s initiative is part of the McGuinty government’s plan for innovation in public health care, building a system that delivers on three priorities - keeping Ontarians healthy, reducing wait times and providing better access to doctors and nurses.

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