Nova Scotia government pledges $37 million for rural heath care institute
The Nova Scotia government has announced plans to spend $37 million on a new research institute that will focus on improving the health of rural residents.
Premier Tim Houston made the announcement Thursday at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, N.S., where the institute will be based.
The province issued a statement saying the Institute for Innovation in Health will study chronic disease prevention and management, rehabilitation and aging in place.
"By focusing on prevention, we can help people lead stronger, healthier lives, which reduces the burden on the health-care system," the premier said in a statement.
"We have a long-term plan for health-care and it's working."
As well, Houston said the institute will offer training for health-care professionals and evaluate new ways of promoting wellness in rural communities. The institute will also have a treatment centre that will expand access to primary care and mental health services.
On Tuesday, Houston announced a $59-million plan to create a new medical school at Cape Breton University in Sydney, N.S., and on Wednesday his government pledged $25 million toward new health data analytics and administration programs at Saint Mary's University in Halifax.
Houston led the Progressive Conservatives to victory in the provincial election in August 2021 with a platform focused on repairing the province's ailing health-care system. But the Tories have been dogged by bad news on that front, especially when it comes to emergency room wait-times and doctor shortages.
Earlier on Thursday, the Opposition Liberals called on Houston to release the latest monthly count of people looking for a family doctor. Liberal Leader Zach Churchill said it is the second consecutive month that the government had failed to release the statistics on time.
Last month's numbers -- withheld for one week -- showed the list had increased by more than 6,000 people. As of Feb. 1, more than 133,000 people were on the registry, up from 86,000 in March 2022.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 9, 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6968186.1721272613!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
JD Vance introduces himself as Trump's running mate and makes direct appeal to his native Rust Belt
Introducing himself to the nation after being tapped as Donald Trump's running mate, JD Vance used his Wednesday night address to the Republican National Convention to share the story of his hardscrabble upbringing and make the case that his party best understands the challenges facing struggling Americans.
Two deaths in listeriosis outbreak linked to plant-based milk recall
Two people have died after an outbreak of listeriosis trigged a national recall of certain plant-based milks, the Public Health Agency of Canada said Wednesday.
Quebec filmmaker denied replacement hand after airplane propeller accident
The War Amps is speaking out after one of its members who lost most of his hand in an airplane propeller accident was denied coverage by Quebec for a mechanical hand.
Video shows B.C. grizzly basking in clawfoot tub
A donated clawfoot bathtub has become the preferred lounging spot for a pair of B.C. grizzly bears, who have been taking turns relaxing and reclining in it – with minimal sibling squabbling – for the past year.
John Deere ends support of 'social or cultural awareness' events, distances from inclusion efforts
Farm equipment maker John Deere says it will no longer sponsor 'social or cultural awareness' events, becoming the latest major U.S. company to distance itself from diversity and inclusion measures after being targeted by conservative backlash.
Rare photos reveal uncontacted tribe in Peruvian Amazon as loggers move in
Rare images of the Mashco Piro, an uncontacted Indigenous tribe in the remote Peruvian Amazon, were published on Tuesday by Survival International,
'I feel like he did not die in vain': Family responds to report on tortured B.C. boy's death
The heartbreak over the death of an Indigenous 11-year-old Fraser Valley boy, tortured and then ultimately killed by his foster parents, was felt by all who knew him.
Biden tests positive for COVID, will self-isolate in Delaware
U.S. President Joe Biden, under pressure from fellow Democrats to drop his re-election campaign, tested positive for COVID-19 while visiting Las Vegas on Wednesday and is self-isolating after experiencing mild symptoms, the White House said.
Day three of the RNC: Trump made an appearance, JD Vance addressed the crowd
The third day of the Republican National Convention was underway in Milwaukee on Wednesday evening, with speakers including Donald Trump's newly selected vice-presidential pick, JD Vance, as well as the former U.S. president's son, Donald Trump Jr.