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NEWS RELEASES

DAVID ORAZIETTI, MPP

**************************** Orazietti announces $597,107 in additional transfer funding for the City of Sault Ste. Marie

McGuinty government investments support Ontario municipalities

SAULT STE. MARIE - The Ontario government is building stronger communities by increasing land ambulance funding, improving public transit systems and public health services in Sault Ste. Marie, David Orazietti, MPP announced today.

“With increased funding for public health, transit and land ambulance we are improving services that have a direct impact on the lives of local residents,” said Orazietti. “In fact, over the past seven years our new municipal transfer payment program has allowed us to reach record levels of investment with an increase to city funding of 43 percent, in addition to creating new programs that further help to strengthen our local economy.”

Today’s announcement demonstrates the provincial government’s continued support for the City of Sault Ste. Marie and is comprised of funding from the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. 

Highlights of today’s announcement include:

- $356,796 grant from Ministry of Transportation’s Ontario Bus Replacement Program to be used for the replacement of municipal transit buses.

- $138,085 grant from Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care for land ambulance services.

- $102,226 grant from Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care to Algoma Public Health for extraordinary expenses in responding to H1N1.

**************************** Orazietti announces $171,000 increase in annual funding for Children's Rehabilitation Centre in Sault Ste. Marie

McGuinty government improving services and cutting wait times for kids with special needs

SAULT STE. MARIE - David Orazietti, MPP was joined today by children’s care professionals, children, their families and care providers at the Children’s Rehabilitation Centre for the announcement of a $171,000 increase by the provincial government to the centre’s annual budget as well as a one-time grant of $8,000 for capital repairs or renovations.

“We are committed to helping families in Sault Ste. Marie and area whose children have special needs so that they can reach their full potential,” said Orazietti. “This investment allows the Children’s Rehabilitation Centre to hire more staff and further expand important programs, such as speech and language therapy, which make a real difference and truly help children enjoy a better quality of life.”

The increase in annual funding from the province will allow the centre to hire additional staff, expand programs and decrease wait times in the following areas:

- The speech-language pathology compliment will be able to hire an additional full time employee. 

- The centre will be able to expand their overall compliment of pediatric rehabilitation therapists.

- Additional speech-language and pediatric rehabilitation therapists will enable the centre to reduce its wait list numbers and subsequently its wait times for therapy services.

- The centre will have the opportunity to offer two new programs:  Assistive Communication and Writing Aids Clinic, and a Youth Transitions program.

“Today’s announcement is a true testament to this government’s commitment to helping children with disabilities and special needs reach their full potential. This additional funding will reduce wait lists and wait times for many of our children and youth in Sault Ste. Marie and Algoma allowing them to get on with developing the foundational skills they need to be as successful as possible at home, in school and in our communities. This is, without a doubt, a good news story for all our children and their families,” said Susan Vanagas-Cote, executive director of Children’s Rehabilitation Centre Algoma.

In 2009-10 the Children’s Rehabilitation Centre served 939 clients by providing a range of programs and services, such as rehabilitation, physiotherapy, respite care and speech language therapy to children and youth with conditions such as cerebral palsy and down syndrome.

The centre also supports kids with special needs, such as autism and learning disorders.

In addition to its wide-range of programs and services the Children’s Rehabilitation Centre Algoma operates a licensed childcare program and provides resource supports to children with special needs in childcare programs across the district.

The centre is also a sponsor for the Integrated Services for Northern Children program.

This investment is part of $9 million in new annual funding to support 20 centres across Ontario.

Children’s Rehabilitation Centres in Ontario serve more than 58,000 children and youth and today’s announcement will help ensure they get the treatment they need faster and closer to home. 

Today’s announcement is also part of the McGuinty government’s continuing commitment to support children with special needs in Sault Ste. Marie.

Total new infrastructure and annual operating investment for the Children’s Rehabilitation Centre is $1,643,195 since 2003 and includes:

- $845,685 grant for their capital expansion.

- $714,510 increase to annual operating budget to expand existing programs.

- $75,000 to assist with renovations for a dedicated pre-vocational assessment and training area.

- $8,000 for capital repairs and renovations   ****************************