Huntsville is committing $10-million towards Muskoka’s two new hospitals.
On Wednesday, General Committee approved transferring the remaining $3,728,772 from the sale of the Waterloo Summit Centre in 2018 to the new Local Share Reserve fund and setting aside $230,000 in the budget every year until the $10-million goal is reached.
The total local share needed to redevelop the Huntsville and Bracebridge hospitals is estimated at $225-million, or around 30 per cent of the total cost.
The local share needs to be sourced from Muskoka’s six municipalities plus the District of Muskoka, as well as Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare, the area’s two hospital foundations and some municipalities in East Parry Sound. According to a staff report, that figure could fluctuate based on construction costs and timeline over the next 15 years.
The motion was unanimously passed by General Committee, but will need to be ratified at council next month. It makes Huntsville the first of Muskoka’s six municipalities to publicly commit to a local share contribution.
