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Ministry of Health increases Wiikwemkoong ambulance funding

TORONTO—Manitoulin-Sudbury District Services Board (DSB) directors received some welcomed news from the province during their last board meeting. The Ministry of Health is ponying up an extra $158,744 in additional base funding and up to $555,645 in one-time funding for the 2023-2024 funding year. That brings total funding for operating expenses at the Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory ambulance station up to $3,238,349.

In her letter informing the board of the latest increase in funding, Assistant Deputy Minister of Health Susan Picarello cautioned the DSB, “We appreciate your cooperation with the ministry in managing your funding as effectively as possible. You are expected to adhere to our reporting requirements, particularly for in-year service and financial reporting, which is expected to be timely and accurate. Based on our monitoring and assessment of your in-year service and financial reporting, your cash flow may be adjusted appropriately to match actual services provided.”

EMS manager Paul Myre noted that the operation of the EMS station in Wiikwemkoong is 100 percent funded by the province. The costs involved were included in the DSB budget.

Article written by

Michael Erskine
Michael Erskine
Michael Erskine BA (Hons) is a staff writer at The Manitoulin Expositor. He received his honours BA from Laurentian University in 1987. His former lives include underground miner, oil rig roughneck, early childhood educator, elementary school teacher, college professor and community legal worker. Michael has written several college course manuals and has won numerous Ontario Community Newspaper Awards in the rural, business and finance and editorial categories.