MRHA Celebrates Year of Progress While Calling for Sustainable Healthcare Funding
June 24, 2026
MRHA Celebrates Year of
Progress While Calling for Sustainable Healthcare Funding
Community Forum and Annual Meeting brought community
together for a conversation about healthcare sustainability in one of Eastern
Ontario's fastest-growing regions
Almonte, ON – The Mississippi River Health Alliance (MRHA) welcomed
community members, healthcare partners, staff, volunteers, elected officials,
and supporters to its Community Forum and Annual Meeting on June 23,
celebrating a year of significant achievement while discussing the financial
realities, growth pressures, and opportunities shaping the future of healthcare
in the region.
Held at Almonte General
Hospital under the theme Caring for a Growing Community: The Financial Reality
of Local Healthcare, the evening brought together the broader community to
reflect on the past year, hear from MRHA leadership, and discuss what sustainable
healthcare looks like for one of Eastern Ontario's fastest-growing regions.
A Year of Significant
Achievement
The past year marked one of
the most transformative periods in the MRHA's history, with major milestones
across all four partner organizations.
Highlights included the
completion of the first full year of CT Scanner operations at Almonte General
Hospital, bringing advanced diagnostic imaging closer to home for thousands of
patients who previously had to travel for care. The Thomas Cavanagh Emergency
Department at Carleton Place & District Memorial Hospital (CPDMH) continued
to support a growing community following its landmark opening, while CPDMH
achieved National Echocardiography Accreditation, recognizing the quality of
cardiac diagnostic services delivered locally.
CPDMH was also recognized by
Choosing Wisely Canada and Canadian Blood Services as a Using Blood Wisely
Hospital, and Almonte General Hospital received Ontario Health recognition for
leading practices in organ and tissue donation notification.
The Lanark County Paramedic
Service marked its 25th anniversary of service to the communities of Lanark
County, a milestone that reflects decades of dedicated emergency response and
expanding community-based care. Community Paramedicine programs continued to
grow alongside the Lanark Integrated Frontline Team (LIFT) mobile outreach
clinic and the NEST maternal and newborn supports program at AGH.
Fairview Manor continued to
provide exceptional resident-centred long-term care while supporting residents
and families through more than 40,000 resident days of care over the past year.
On the strategic front,
earlier this year, the MRHA launched its 2026–2030 Strategic Plan — a
five-year roadmap built around four strategic directions: providing access to
quality healthcare, fostering a supportive working environment, enabling the
team through modern processes, technology and infrastructure, and securing
long-term fiscal and operational sustainability.
MRHA also continued
preparations for the implementation of Epic electronic health records through
the Atlas Alliance, with a planned go-live date of October 31, 2026.
“This past year demonstrated
what our teams are capable of delivering, even in a demanding environment,”
said Brad Harrington, President and CEO of the Mississippi River Health
Alliance. “We opened a transformational new emergency department, brought CT scanning
closer to home for thousands of patients, achieved national accreditation,
expanded innovative community-based programs, and launched a bold Strategic
Plan for the next five years. I am incredibly proud of what our staff, medical
staff, paramedics, volunteers, and community partners have accomplished
together — and committed to building on that momentum.”
Growing Communities,
Growing Demand
The MRHA serves communities
across Lanark County and the surrounding region, including Almonte, Carleton
Place, Mississippi Mills, Beckwith, Perth, Smiths Falls, Rideau Lakes, Lanark
Highlands, Tay Valley, Montague, and Drummond/North Elmsley.
The region continues to
experience significant population growth, with municipal and provincial
forecasts projecting substantial increases over the next two decades, driven by
growth in Carleton Place, Mississippi Mills, and surrounding communities. That
growth is reflected in sustained demand for local healthcare services,
including more than 34,500 emergency department visits annually across AGH and
CPDMH, more than 40,000 resident days of care at Fairview Manor, and growing
demand for paramedic, diagnostic, emergency, long-term care, and
community-based healthcare services.
Working Toward Sustainable
Funding
Like hospitals across
Ontario, MRHA is navigating a structural gap between the rising cost of
delivering care and available provincial funding — a challenge formally
acknowledged at the provincial level and reflected in the Ontario Hospital
Association's projection of a sector-wide deficit exceeding $1 billion.
As part of its ongoing
dialogue with Ontario Health and the provincial government through the Hospital
Sector Stabilization Plan, MRHA is seeking $15 million in stabilization funding
— $8.5 million in permanent base funding and $6.5 million in working capital
restoration — to ensure local healthcare services can keep pace with the needs
of a growing region.
“There is a great deal to be
proud of, and there is also important work ahead,” said Michel G. Vermette,
Chair of the MRHA Allied Boards of Directors.
“The MRHA is a
high-performing organization that delivers exceptional care to a growing
community. Ensuring that local healthcare remains strong, sustainable, and
accessible for future generations requires investment that reflects the true
cost of care, and we are committed to working with our provincial partners to
achieve that.”
Community Engagement
Community members are
encouraged to learn more about the MRHA's work, the regional healthcare
landscape, and how to participate in ongoing conversations about the future of
local healthcare by visiting www.MRHA.ca,
where the 2026
Report to the Community and a community letter template are available.
Annual Meeting
During the Annual Meeting,
members approved the audited financial statements for AGH and CPDMH, appointed
auditors for the coming year, and elected the MRHA Allied Boards of Directors.
MRHA welcomed one new Director and re-elected twelve returning Directors.
The organization also
recognized community member Wayne Drummond for five years of dedicated service
on the MRHA Allied Boards Capital Projects Committee and thanked him for his
contributions to advancing local healthcare infrastructure and planning.
-30-
Media Contact:
Caitlin O’Hara, Communications Lead
Mississippi River Health Alliance
613-621-9638
caohara@mrha.ca
About the Mississippi River Health
Alliance (MRHA)
The Mississippi River Health Alliance (MRHA) was
formed in 2016 to formalize and strengthen collaboration between the Almonte
General Hospital Corporation—which includes Almonte General Hospital (AGH),
Fairview Manor (FVM), and the Lanark County Paramedic Service (LCPS)—and the
Carleton Place & District Memorial Hospital Corporation (CPDMH). This
partnership delivers seamless, high-quality healthcare that addresses the
evolving needs of local communities. Together, the MRHA is building an
integrated healthcare system that provides comprehensive care close to home,
enhancing access and improving health outcomes throughout the region. For more
information visit MRHA.ca.