Vol.7 Issue 12 December 2020
WWW.STOUFFVILLEREVIEW.COM
WHAT’S INSIDE
A Candlelight Christmas at the museum
The annual tradition of heading to the
Whitchurch-Stouffville Museum to enjoy A
Candlelight Christmas will be extra special
this year.
SEE PAGE 3
MSHF Raffle of Hope raises $92,000
The MSH Foundation’s Raffle of Hope raised
over $92,000 this year to help the MSH frontline
team be prepared for any scenario and provide
life-saving care to each and every one of their
patients.
The power of shopping local
SEE PAGE 4
The Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville has launched Powered by Neighbours, a shop local brand, to support wintertime campaigns that are
designed to support local businesses. Mayor Iain Lovatt encourages hungry residents to order food for takeout and #skiptheapps.
Council will continue to appoint
regional chair
SEE PAGE 5
York Regional Council has voted against the
direct election of the regional chair, which
means it will maintain the status quo and
appoint the position.
SEE PAGE 8
More funds for long-term care homes
The Ontario government is investing an
additional $761 million to build and renovate
74 long-term care homes across the province,
including $34,030,152 in Stouffville.
SEE PAGE 11
COMMUNITY
HEALTH & SPORTS
Don’t miss an issue
Spreading joy this holiday season
Mark your calendars as Santa is coming to
the library. Santa will be at the Whitchurch-
Stouffville Library for socially-distanced
family photo shoots
YRDSB gets approval for a new
Stouffville elementary school
The Ontario government is investing $550
million in accelerated funding to build 20 new
schools and make upgrades to eight existing
facilities.
SEE PAGE 3 SEE PAGE 6
Discover Markham
your way.
visitmarkham.ca
MSH transforms assessment centre
for cold and flu season
In anticipation of the flu season and second
wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, Markham
Stouffville Hospital has made enhancements to
its COVID-19 Assessment Centre.
Shop
SEE PAGE 10
Savour
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2 STOUFFVILLE REVIEW DECEMBER 2020 STOUFFVILLEREVIEW.COM
COMMUNITY
Decades of window delights on Main
BY FRED ROBBINS,
STOUFFVILLE HISTORIAN
I made a point recently to stop in to the
Stouffville Florist shop now located on the
north side of Main Street at 6280.
I received a warm and friendly welcome
from Kim Everson, the current owner. As
I waited for my turn (spaced properly), the
front windows caught my eye. She certainly
has a talent for display windows.
“It’s the most beautiful display on Main
St,” people often said in 1984 when Everson
first started doing the window displays.
At the time, the business was located at
what was 6 Main St. W., now known as 6343
Main St. The florist shop was previously
called Hudson’s Florist and was previously
owned by Grahame W. Hudson who purchased
the property on Sept. 14, 1965, for
about $15,500.
Renovations were undertaken in November
of 1971. During this time period,
the store was closed. However, the shipping
room at the rear would continue to be operated
as usual until renovations were completed.
The store was then sold to Allen and
Kimberly Everson on November 2, 1984, for
$85,000. Grahame and Kay Hudson retired to
reside in Goodwood.
As Everson directed her attention to me,
we began to chat about her time on Main St.
over the years including the former location
that I was especially interested in. The flower
shop has a long history on Main St. covering
170 years. But that is another story for later.
I had a strange item photographed that
was a wire rack or holder from days gone by.
Everson lit up and knew right away what it
was.
“This is a gates of heaven,” she said.
I was totally surprised. My thoughts
were it was a display for hardware or tools.
Upon coming home I did check it out. The
gates of heaven were used by florists that
would tie and fasten flowers around the frame
and leave the “gates” open. This is the kind
of knowledge you can get from the shops in
downtown Stouffville.
This year, Everson is pleased with her
window and hopes admirers on the outside
will soon be admirers on the inside, if just to
say a friendly hello.
As I stepped outside the store, I noticed
that the one Christmas tree in the display was
loaded with cardinals and gifts. It reminded
me of years past when I would walk down
Main St. during the Christmas rush and
purchase my gifts from the local shops and
stores. Back then the owners would also ask
if you would like it wrapped. I would return
back along the same route in reverse and
pick up my items all wrapped in ribbons and
bows.
The Christmas window display at
Stouffville Florist Shop is one to entertain
and delight neighbours and friends during
this year’s holiday season. I hope you’ll stop
by the shops of Main Street and I hope your
Christmas is filled with joy and happiness.
STOUFFVILLEREVIEW.COM DECEMBER 2020
Spreading joy this holiday season
3 STOUFFVILLE REVIEW
Mark your calendars as Santa is coming
to the library.
Santa will be at the Whitchurch-
Stouffville Library for socially-distanced
family photo shoots on December 5 from
10:15 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.
Appointments will be five minutes
in length and families will be able to take
photos with their own cameras. Interested
families can contact Kate Scheiers, via email
at kate.scheiers@wsplibrary.ca or by phone
at 905-642-7323 ext. 5237 to book an appointment.
With the holiday season approaching,
the library is giving its customers a gift in the
form of the new Fast Reads collection. The
Fast Reads collection will comprise of the
new, hot titles that the library staff know our
community wants to read.
“This Fast Reads collection is wonderful
for our community as it allows our customers
to be able to access and read the bestselling
titles they want in a timely manner,” library
CEO Margaret Wallace says.
The Fast Read collection, which debuts
on December 8, will be consistently monitored
by staff to ensure that the biggest new
titles are available for checkout. These titles
will be able to be checked out for seven days.
Another holiday initiative that the
library is participating in is the Holiday
Snack drive to benefit 360Kids. Residents are
being encouraged to drop off snacks in their
original, sealed packaging to the library until
December 18 during open hours. Examples
of snacks could include chips, crackers,
granola bars, and candy. These snacks will be
distributed to 360Kids, a York Region-based
charity that provides programs and services
for at-risk and homeless youth.
Visit www.wsplibrary.ca for more details.
A Candlelight Christmas
at the museum
The annual tradition of heading to the
Whitchurch-Stouffville Museum to enjoy A
Candlelight Christmas will be extra special
this year as we all deal with living with the
COVID-19 pandemic and look forward to a
nice escape.
Decorated for the season, the museum
comes to life with the traditions of Christmas
past. Costumed staff will guide you through
the museum’s heritage buildings for a charming
tour.
The price is $20 plus HST for adults and
children aged 3-12 are $15 plus HST. This
year’s admission includes a seasonal family
photograph.
This year’s event takes place December
12 and 19. Call to book your tickets as space
is limited due to Covid-19 restrictions. Walkins
are not admitted.
Visit www.wsmuseum.ca for more details.
4 STOUFFVILLE REVIEW
The power of shopping local
DECEMBER 2020
STOUFFVILLEREVIEW.COM
BY JAKE MACANDREW
The Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville has
launched Powered by Neighbours, a shop
local brand, to support wintertime campaigns
that are designed to support local businesses.
“Powered by Neighbours speaks to
the sense of community and small-town
nature that Stouffvillians enjoy,” said Town
Economic Development Officer Dave Tuley.
“It is hard to capture Whitchurch-Stouffville
in three words, but if COVID has taught us
anything, Stouffville is community driven
and locally supported.”
The first campaign under the Powered
by Neighbours banner was launched
November 16, entitled “What’s for Dinner”
and carries a hashtag #skiptheapps. Local
restaurants are being encouraged to register
daily lunch and dinner specials on the town’s
L4A.ca website calendar.
“When it is dinner time and you are
trying to figure out what to eat and who to
support, just go onto the calendar,” Tuley
said.
The town launched the L4A.ca website
last summer to help local businesses through
the pandemic. The What’s for Dinner
campaign was implemented by town staff
with the assistance of community volunteers,
such as Laura Cusack (Hummingbird
Hub), Susan Tucker (Stouffville Bulletin)
and Taya Dekker. The Stouffville Chamber
and Stouffville Review have offered to do
anything possible to help with the campaign.
Stouffville branding consultants, Trajectory,
helped with the creative process in developing
a brand.
“It is hoped that this campaign will help
people #skiptheapps by taking food out,”
Tuley said.
The popular food delivery apps have
been heavily utilized and amalgamated into
our lives in recent years. Although these
apps have been around for quite some time
now, they are becoming more popular than
ever. As these apps received more traction,
they became available in more rural areas.
Mayor Iain Lovatt poses next to a Powered
by Neighbours billboard in Stouffville. Photo
courtesy of Dennis Hristovski.
A few years ago, the major apps came to
Stouffville and we have been using them
ever since. With the pandemic, people
have started to use these apps even more.
Although they are great when we want to
get our restaurant favourites delivered home,
they take a huge chunk of our local restaurant’s
profits.
Looking at Stouffville specifically,
many if not most of our local restaurants are
registered for at least one of these apps. In a
time where the government is forced to put
restrictions on restaurants due to COVID-19,
restaurants rely on these services to receive
orders. Of course, orders are good for a business.
It means they are getting income, but in
an industry with slim profit margins, the cost
of these delivery services takes a big toll on
locally-run restaurants. According to Restaurants
Canada, the average profit margin for a
food service business is under five per cent,
while the leading food ordering apps charge
a commission of anywhere between 20-30
per cent for delivery. As a result, we must
consider more beneficial ways to support our
local restaurants.
“We need to perform a local restaurant
rescue,” Town CAO Rob Adams said. “The
most beneficial way to support a local restaurant
is to call them directly to order and pick
up your food at the restaurant. By doing this,
the restaurant makes a larger profit margin
and you get to give back to your community.
Our business community deserves extra attention.”
Additionally, with take-out one can save
money by avoiding the app’s delivery fees.
Savings aside, restaurant owners and workers
are some of the many people that help
our community thrive. They provide a taste
of culture, hospitality, and personality that
adds to our town’s identity.
Overall, when this pandemic is over and
we take a look at our town’s main streets,
what do you hope to see? Essentially, there
Join our team!
We are now hiring Full-Time Team Members
(35 – 40 hours per week)
Service Crew & Cooks
Daytime, afternoons, evenings & overnights
What’s in it for you:
Health benefits
Flexible scheduling
Free uniforms
Safe environment to work in
50% off food items at all McDonald’s
restaurant locations
Platinum Card Membership, offering
you discounts at top national retailers
‘World-class’ training program
to support your success
Apply today at careers.mcdonalds.ca
When applying, enter the restaurant location below:
28 Sandiford Drive, Stouffville @ Main Street, L4A 7X5
Love taking initiative?
Do what you love.
©2020 McDonald’s
are two scenarios. Do you want to see streets
filled with restaurants run by community
members or streets filled with empty buildings
that used to house the coffee shops,
restaurants, and bars that the people of
Stouffville used to congregate?
“Please keep in mind, as we continue
to be amid the COVID pandemic, we need
to support local businesses in the best way
possible,” Tuley said. “So, next time you are
craving a meal from your favourite foodservice
institution, consider calling them
directly and picking up your order.”
STOUFFVILLEREVIEW.COM DECEMBER 2020
Stouffville unites to Trim the Town
The town’s events team has launched
Trim the Town which is a new event that is
being offered this year that will bring the
spirit of the season to our community.
They are asking local residents and
business owners to join them in a festive
challenge that will unite our municipality in
the common goal of decorating our town.
Trim the Town is a decorating contest
that takes place throughout the month of
December.
MSHF Raffle of Hope
raises $92,000
5 STOUFFVILLE REVIEW
“Everyone can participate – whether
they’re decorating or voting for their favourite
pick, we’ll all be coming together to
share in the fun,” said Julia Troiani, Acting
Special Events Coordinator.
“We will be working with the Trentadue
Torres Group, our Presenting Sponsor,
to bring this offering to our community,”
Troiani said. “The event provides an inclusive
way to celebrate the season.”
Criteria for entry is very simple: decorate
your home or business and submit your
photo. Entry photos will be displayed in two
categories: Residential and Business. There
will be first, second and third place prizes
awarded in each category. Winners will be
determined by members of the public and
the voting will take place through the event
website. Residences and businesses must
be located within the town boundaries to be
Redefined Finds holiday window display
includes an elegant festive theme. Owner
Alison Jackson plans to be one of the many
businesses participating in this year’s Trim
the Town event.
eligible to receive votes.
Photo submissions will be accepted
until December 11 at 5 p.m. Voting will be
open by 9 a.m. on December 18 and run
until January 1 at 5 p.m. Winners will be
announced in early January. In addition to
viewing all entries on the website, families
are encouraged to drive around and view
all the décor. A map will be provided on the
event website indicating the locations of
entries.
For more information, visit www.
trimthetownstouffville.weebly.com or e-mail
questions to events@townofws.ca
Raffle of Hope winner Sergio Montero who is behind the wheel (centre) poses for a photo with
Allan Bell of MSHF along with Kevin and Jennifer Baxter.
With 28 surgeons performing over 20,200
surgeries at Markham Stouffville Hospital
(MSH) every year, including preventative and
diagnostic procedures such as biopsy, colonoscopy
and endoscopy, new surgical equipment
and technology is an ongoing need.
It is imperative to keep up with demand
as well as keep pace with medical advances.
To meet the increasing demand and optimize
health outcomes, the time has come for MSH
to outfit a new fluoroscopy-equipped hybrid
operating room.
The MSH Foundation’s Raffle of Hope
raised over $92,000 this year to help the MSH
frontline team be prepared for any scenario
and provide life-saving care to each and every
one of their patients.
Stouffville Toyota dealer principal Kevin
Baxter takes pride in supporting local causes
and regularly gives back to the community,
especially to our local hospital.
The top prize for this year’s Raffle of
Hope, generously donated by Baxter, was a
Toyota RAV4 which was won by Sergio Montero.
For more information, visit mshf.on.ca.
Trim the Town
Seasonal decorating contest open to all residents and businesses.
Prizes to be awarded to top 3 in each category: Home and Business.
Submit a photo of your decorated house or business to participate.
Winners to be announced in the New Year!
December 5, 2020
6:00 - 9:00 PM
Hoover Park Drive
Starting at Mostar Street and Heading West
Pre-registration required.
Visit us at stoufvillesantaclausparade.com
PRESENTING SPONSOR:
To enter:
trimthetownstouffville.weebly.com
events@townofws.ca
905-642-4139
6 STOUFFVILLE REVIEW
Enjoy the Holidays
at the
WHITCHURCH-STOUFFVILLE
MUSEUM &
COMMUNITY CENTRE
DECEMBER 2020
STOUFFVILLEREVIEW.COM
YRDSB gets approval for a new
Stouffville elementary school
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Education Minister Stephen Lecce and MPP Paul Calandra tour the site of the new Stouffville
Elementary School, which will be located at the intersection of Edward St and Millard St.
The Ontario government is investing
$550 million in accelerated funding to build
20 new schools and make upgrades to eight
existing facilities.
As part of its plan for a safe return to
school, the province is supporting the York
Region District School Board with approval
for a new Stouffville elementary school.
For local families, this investment will
mean an improved, quality learning environment.
This new school is part of the province’s
2020-2021 Capital Priorities Program
to support students with better and more
modern learning spaces.
“I am thrilled with today’s provincial
government announcement of $13.7 million
in funding to York Region District
School Board towards the building of a new
elementary school on the old high school site
on Edward Street,” Stouffville Mayor Iain
Lovatt said.
It is critical that Ontario continues to
invest in safe and modern schools that meet
the needs of students, especially during the
COVID-19 pandemic.
“These are not just investments in bricks
and mortar, our government is investing in
the future of our children by creating a better
learning environment,” said Paul Calandra,
MPP for Markham-Stouffville.
The Stouffville Elementary School will
be located at the intersection of Edward
Street and Millard Street in Whitchurch-
Stouffville.
Helping ‘hometown heroes’
improve safety
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townofws.ca/museum
wsmuseum@townofws.ca
(905) 727-8954
An inflatable fire safety education house
that will help members of the community
plan their escape in the event of a fire and
that is accessible for people with disabilities
promises to help ensure a safer community.
Whitchurch-Stouffville Fire and Emergency
Services is purchasing the safety
education house with a $15,000 grant from
Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation of
Canada. The house will be used to provide an
interactive fun fire safety learning experience
and educate the community on smoke alarms,
candles, kitchen safety and space heaters.
The wrath of Hurricane Katrina, which
resulted in more than 1,800 deaths and $125
billion in damage in 2005, especially in the
city of New Orleans and surrounding areas,
inspired the founders of Firehouse Subs to
establish the Firehouse Subs Public Safety
Foundation in the U.S. in 2005.
Ten years later, with the opening of
the first Canadian restaurant in 2015, the
Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation of
Canada was established. The registered charity
has since donated more than $1.2 million
to the ‘hometown heroes’ in Canada. The
Foundation raises money through the sale of
five-gallon pickle buckets at each restaurant
and donation containers on register counters
that invite patrons to ‘round up’ their bill to
the nearest dollar.
“We are committed to helping organizations
such as Whitchurch-Stouffville Fire and
Emergency Services continue their lifesaving
work within local communities,” executive
director Robin Peter says. “We are honoured
to be able to award this grant and do our
part to ensure that the Town of Whitchurch-
Stouffville is safer for everyone, including
first responders.”
STOUFFVILLEREVIEW.COM DECEMBER 2020
7 STOUFFVILLE REVIEW
8 STOUFFVILLE REVIEW
Golden
Student of the month
DECEMBER 2020
STOUFFVILLEREVIEW.COM
Council will continue
to appoint regional chair
McDonald’s is proud to salute this month’s
Golden Student of the Month,
Jeremy Thummel
Chairman Wayne Emmerson
Jeremy Thummel is a Grade 11 student at Stouffville
District Secondary School. He volunteers at the
Whitchurch-Stouffville Public Library’s facilitating
programs for all ages and as a leader in the Library’s
Teen Advisory Group. He has proven to be an outstanding
volunteer: always going above and beyond the expected
for whatever task he is asked to undertake. For example,
as a Teen Tech Mentor in our New Horizons Program he
selflessly stays after our Seniors’ iPad Class to offer
more one-on-one help to those having challenges with
the technology. Jeremy is a passionate supporter of the
Library and always brings a fun and cheerful attitude to
every event he attends.
CONGRATULATIONS JEREMY!
It’s excellent volunteers like you that make Stouffville such
a great place in which to live!
A motion to make the York Region
Chair an elected position was deferred until
this fall. Regional Council has since voted
against the motion and will maintain the
current approach of appointing the Regional
Chair position.
While Council must review the number
of members on council that represent the
lower-tier municipalities this term and following
every second regular election, there’s
no requirement to review the method of
selecting the head of council or any other
member of council.
Section 4 of the Region’s Procedural
Bylaw sets out the process for appointing
the regional chair, which must be confirmed
by vote at the inaugural meeting of Regional
Council. The regional chair has been appointed
by members of Regional Council
since York was established in 1971. Similar
motions were defeated by Council in 2012
and 2016.
Among other things, the regional chair
is responsible for opening and presiding
over regional council meetings and may vote
on issues in the event of a tie, and acts as a
member of the York Regional Police Services
Board and CEO of the York Region Rapid
Transit Board. The regional chair also acts
as the primary spokesperson on public issues
and is York’s representative both within and
outside the municipality.
Chairman Wayne Emmerson was first
elected by a majority of regional councillors
in December 2014 and is currently serving
his second term as Chief Executive Officer
for York Region.
Community!
We are a part of your community and here to serve
it. We are here to help you keep in touch with the
community and tell the stories from within it – the
stories of its people, its unique places, its history and
its promising future. We want to help build an even
better community with your help.
Email us. Call us.
Let us know about the people, the places and issues
that are important to you. We’ll help share them with
the rest of the community. We are your community
partner.
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STOUFFVILLEREVIEW.COM DECEMBER 2020
9 STOUFFVILLE REVIEW
‘Innovative’ exhibit earns
prestigious award
Going hog wild in the country
It would be nice to try to forget about
COVID-19 for an afternoon while visiting a
sanctuary. Thanks to a local lady, there are
some pigs enjoying life at the Sweet Acres
Pig Sanctuary located at 2798 Vivian Rd.
Five years ago, Kristen Duggan rescued
a six month old potbelly pig called Sadie.
“I had heard about Tea Cup pigs and,
much to my horror, I realized what breeders
were doing to make money, selling piglets
way too young,” Duggan said. “Keeping
them small due to lack of food. Once I
became part of other sanctuary’s the door
opened up to many more pigs that needed
homes due to bylaw issues and growing too
big, lack of education and understanding.”
Duggan now has 11 rehomed and rescued
potbelly pigs living at Sweet Acres Pig
Sanctuary.
“Every pig at the sanctuary has a safe
home, and is treated with unconditional
love,” Duggan said.
She has opened her doors to the public
with educational tours for Sparks, Girl
Guides and homeschooling groups, just to
mention a few.
Families are allowed to pet and feed the
pigs and fall in love with their favourite ones.
Sponsorship for their favourite pig is also an
option.
“I ask for a voluntary donation of $20
per family,” Duggan said. “This goes towards
food and straw and pen repairs.
She also has two amusement rides for
the kids, bon fires and games. Families are
able to hug a 150-year-old willow tree which
makes for a great family photo.
For more information, you can find
Sweet Acres Pig Sanctuary on Facebook or
you can contact Duggan at 416-805-6607 to
book a tour.
A Whitchurch-Stouffville Museum
exhibit lauded as “technically ambitious and
innovative” has earned the 2020 Ontario Museum
Association (OMA) Award of Excellence
in Exhibitions.
Archaeology Alive! The Jean Baptiste
Lainé Site in Whitchurch-Stouffville
pays tribute to a late 16th-century ancestral
Wendat community through artifacts on loan
from the Canadian Museum of History and
the Huron-Wendat Museum, a 3D virtual
longhouse gaming experience created in partnership
with Toronto’s Ryerson University
(and which will become part of the museum’s
permanent collection) and oral histories from
Huron-Wendat Nation members.
“We are tremendously excited and
proud to accept this recognition,” Curator/
Supervisor Krista Rauchenstein says of the
award, which was presented at the OMA’s
first virtual conference on October 29. “This
is a testament to the many hours of hard work
put in by our staff and exhibit partners and to
the importance of recognizing Huron-Wendat
history in the community.”
The Jean Baptiste Lainé Site, previously
referred to as the Mantle Site, was discovered
in southeast Whitchurch-Stouffville between
2003 and 2005 during excavation for a future
development. “We are proud to be able to
collaborate with the museum and we thank
everyone who contributed to this exhibition
being seen,” the Huron-Wendat Nation says.
“We also thank Town Council for its support
of the Huron-Wendat Nation.”
Archaeology Alive! The Jean-Baptiste
Lainé Site in Whitchurch-Stouffville is open
to the public until August 2021. Contact the
Museum at 905-727-8954 or wsmuseum@
townofws.ca to book your visit. Components
of the exhibit can be seen virtually at L4A.ca.
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10 STOUFFVILLE REVIEW
HEALTH & SPORTS
DECEMBER 2020
STOUFFVILLEREVIEW.COM
MSH transforms assessment centre for cold and flu season
When the air gets crisper and the nights
get longer, it is a signal that cold and flu
season is on its way.
In anticipation of the flu season and
second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic,
Markham Stouffville Hospital (MSH) has
made enhancements to its COVID-19 Assessment
Centre.
Building on lessons learned from the
first wave of COVID-19 and feedback
received by community physicians and local
partners, MSH has transformed its former
cafeteria into a COVID-19 Assessment Centre,
complete with 10 assessment bays.
This new space brings patients inside
and provides an appropriate setting for
physicians to assess patients who may have
COVID-19, cold and/or flu. The enhanced
assessment centre has been opened since
October 14 and is staffed predominantly by
primary care physicians (who are part of the
Eastern York Region North Durham Ontario
Health Team) and one emergency physician
at peak hours. It can serve up to 650 patients
a day and is a place where patients can be
Staff waiting to see patients at the newly transformed COVID-19 Assessment Centre, which
has moved inside the hospital. Photo courtesy of Andrew Aggerholm.
assessed safely for COVID-19, cold and/or
flu and tested for COVID-19.
To meet the evolving needs of the community,
the assessment centre has moved to
an online scheduling system. Patients can
schedule their own appointment online for a
timeslot up to 48 hours in advance.
This collaboration between MSH and
the Eastern York Region North Durham
(EYRDN) Ontario Health Team (OHT) partners
ensures that patients in the Markham,
Stouffville, Thornhill, Uxbridge and Brock
have seamless access to the care they need
right in their community.
Following the successful enhancement
of the COVID-19 Assessment Centre,
EYRND OHT partners have now shifted
gears and have initiated a mobile flu clinic
for congregate settings such as group homes
and retirement homes within the Markham,
Stouffville and Thornhill area. Their focus is
on immunizing individuals who are considered
high risk and cannot get to a clinic to
receive their flu shot.
The mobile flu team also has their sights
on creating a paediatric flu clinic to vaccinate
children between six months and five
years old that do not qualify for vaccination
in pharmacies.
For more information about MSH’s CO-
VID-19 Assessment Centre or how to book a
test visit msh.on.ca.
STOUFFVILLEREVIEW.COM DECEMBER 2020
More hospital beds for MSH
11 STOUFFVILLE REVIEW
The Ontario government is providing
$116.5 million to create up to 766 more beds
at 32 hospitals and alternate health facilities
across the province at a time when many
hospitals are dealing with surgical backlogs
and trying to improve access to care during
the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Markham Stouffville Hospital will
be receiving up to $3,664,700 for up to 15
hospital beds and five additional critical care
beds.
“As Markham Stouffville Hospital
responds to COVID-19 and works to meet
higher demands for inpatient care over the
coming months, this significant investment
in our hospital will allow us to continue to
deliver safe high-quality care to everyone
who comes through our doors,” said Joanne
Marr, President and CEO, Markham
Stouffville Hospital.
The new beds announced are in addition
to the $234.5 million investment for 139
More funds for long-term care homes
The Ontario government is investing an
additional $761 million to build and renovate
74 long-term care homes across the province,
including $34,030,152 in Stouffville.
The additional funding is part of the
province’s new funding model that helps
break down historic barriers and accelerates
the construction of urgently needed longterm
care projects, providing seniors with
the quality care they deserve.
“We are bringing the long-term care
funding model into the 21st century,” MPP
Paul Calandra said. “The province’s targeted
approach to improving and expanding longterm
care capacity in our communities will
ensure that our loved ones will have comfortable,
modern places to live, near family
and friends, with the support they need,
when they need it.”
Mon Sheong Stouffville Long-Term
Care in Stouffville is receiving an additional
investment of $32,991,360 helping
them build 320 new spaces. This money is
in addition to the 2019 announcement of
$556,911,926 funding.
Bloomington Cove Care Communityin
Whitchurch-Stouffville is receiving an additional
investment of $1,038,792, helping
them upgrade 10 spaces. This million dollars
is in addition to the 2019 announcement of
$1,727,853 funding.
“Our government has been taking
historic steps to improve the quality of life
for our loved ones by adding capacity and
upgrading Ontario’s long-term care homes,”
Long-term Care Minister Merrilee Fullerton
said. “We introduced the modernized fundcritical
care beds and up to 1,349 hospital
beds included in Ontario’s fall preparedness
plan, Keeping Ontarians Safe: Preparing for
Future Waves of COVID-19.
This brings the total investment to $351
million for more than 2,250 new beds at
57 hospitals and alternate health facilities
across the province – beds that will add more
capacity for hospitals, help with occupancy
pressures and support the continuation of
surgeries and procedures.
“Our government is making the necessary
investments to quickly and effectively
increase hospital capacity and reduce wait
times for patients and families in Markham-
Stouffville,” MPP Paul Calandra said. “This
additional investment will ensure our health
care system is able to respond to future
waves of COVID-19 and help patients waiting
for surgeries and other procedures get the
care they need, faster.”
ing model to build and renovate these homes
faster, and we’re already seeing results, with
thousands of new, safe, and comfortable
spaces in progress.”
The modernized funding model is helping
the government deliver on its commitment
to create 30,000 beds over 10 years.
The new model moves away from a onesize-fits-all
approach, and instead, provides
tailored incentives to address the needs of
developers in different markets: rural, midsize,
urban, and large urban. It also introduces
an up-front development grant to address
high cost barriers to construction.
Working together with long-term care
partners, Ontario continues to use innovative
ideas and modern solutions to help end hallway
health care and increase long-term care
capacity in communities across the province.
The government is also driving the development
of new long-term care spaces by selling
surplus lands with the requirement that
long-term care homes be built on portions of
the properties, and through the Accelerated
Build pilot program, which is adding 1,280
spaces in a matter of months, not years.
Dr. David Santone, Orthopaedic Surgeon
Currently on a 12 hour shift and self-isolating
from his three children.
For our heroes,
this is home
for the holidays.
Help our MSH Heroes combat COVID-19
This holiday season, our MSH Heroes won’t be home
for the holidays. They’ll be on the front lines, away
from their families, working night and day to keep our
community safe and healthy.
Knowing that you support them means everything.
Government funding doesn’t cover all the urgent,
life-saving supplies they need. Make this season glow
a little brighter for our MSH Heroes.
Donate today
MSHHeroes.ca
12 STOUFFVILLE REVIEW DECEMBER 2020 STOUFFVILLEREVIEW.COM
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