A new health hub being led by the Ottawa Valley Family Health Team (OVFHT) will begin construction this fall on Costello Drive in Carleton Place.
OVFHT has received Ministry of Health approval and related funding to expand its Mississippi Mills catchment to include Carleton Place and Beckwith. The goal is for a fall of 2024 opening. Approximately $1.2 million in new annual funding from the province will be combined with $1.7 million in funding over ten (10) years from the Township of Beckwith and the Town of Carleton Place. It will offer 40K square feet of space built on a 15K square foot footprint.
The new hub will bring the 14 local family physicians under one roof and offer Beckwith and Carleton Place residents access to OVFHT’s specialized programming.
Carleton Place Mayor Toby Randell said at the on-site announcement on Wednesday March 2, “Council recognizes the benefit of investing in the future healthcare needs of our residents to ensure that we have the opportunity to attract both doctors and ancillary healthcare amenities not currently available locally. We were proud to collaborate with OVFHT, M+H Properties Group, and a large group of local doctors willing to make significant investments in our community to ensure the long-term health care of our residents. Council is looking forward to the day when our collaborative efforts, hard work, and dedication with these partners over the past 18 months see the creation of the Carleton Place Regional Health Hub, which will provide a solid foundation of health care in our region for all our citizens in the future.”
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Peter Hamer, Executive Director of the OVFHT, for all his hard work and dedication in expanding the family health team to Beckwith and Carleton Place,” said Richard Kidd, Reeve, Township of Beckwith. “This service will improve our residents’ ability to navigate the health system. I would also like to thank John Jordan for his help in securing the funds provincially.”
OVFHT noted that they are not yet able to create a waiting list at this time.
Article by Brian Turner
