Eastern Ontario Hospitals Urge $15M Funding for AI Tools

Hospitals in Eastern Ontario are calling on the provincial government for financial support to implement artificial intelligence (AI) healthcare tools amid a surge in influenza cases. The Queensway Carleton Hospital (QCH) has submitted a proposal requesting $15 million over three years during the 2026 pre-budget consultations. This funding aims to establish a “Health Technologies Innovation Transition Fund” to assist non-academic and rural hospitals in adopting locally developed technologies.

Dr. Andrew Falconer, president and CEO of QCH, emphasized the potential of AI in enhancing patient care. He explained, “Using artificial intelligence, we are able to take numbers that are recorded from nursing staff, like blood pressure, the rate that you’re breathing, your pulse rate and predict, using predictive analysis, which changes may well represent a sinister turn of events for that patient.” The proposed technologies could help identify patients whose conditions are deteriorating while they wait in emergency departments, enabling timely interventions and more urgent care.

Currently operating at 120 percent capacity, QCH is forced to treat patients in unconventional spaces like hallways and dining rooms. The hospital has identified two Canadian AI tools, Signal 1 and Hero AI, in its funding request. These technologies promise to optimize scheduling for outpatient procedures, surgeries, and diagnostic imaging, thereby improving operational efficiency.

In addition to advocating for AI funding, QCH is seeking support for an expansion of its facilities. The hospital’s emergency department, designed to accommodate 63,000 patients annually, is now seeing over 83,000, with projections indicating that number could rise to 100,000 by 2028-29. “We know this is only going to get worse,” stated Falconer, who is pressing for enhancements to both the emergency department and inpatient areas. He highlighted the urgency, saying, “Implementing this technology will help us make better use of the resources we have now. It will not be enough, but it will certainly provide improvements.”

QCH has formally requested funding from the Health Capital Investment Branch to support the expansion project, which aims to increase the emergency department’s size by approximately two-and-a-half times and add 90 new inpatient beds along with additional outpatient services. Falconer expressed readiness to commence construction, hoping for provincial backing.

Opposition members of provincial parliament (MPPs) have voiced support for the hospital’s expansion plans. Ontario NDP and Ottawa West—Nepean MPP Chandra Pasma remarked, “They have a plan to build that is ready to go as soon as the funding is there.” Pasma emphasized the necessity for timely healthcare access for residents in the west end of Ottawa. Meanwhile, Progressive Conservative MPP for Carleton, George Darouze, acknowledged ongoing discussions with the Ministry of Health regarding the expansion and the funding request for AI improvements.

The push for both AI integration and hospital expansion underscores the critical need for enhanced healthcare infrastructure in the region, particularly as patient demand continues to escalate. With the support of AI technologies and expanded facilities, QCH aims to better serve its community and improve overall patient outcomes.