8 - Friday, March 30, 1990 - North Shore News LGH passes $84.7m budget for 1990-91 LIONS GATE Hospital president Robert Smith says he is optimistic the provincial government will ap- prove adequate funding for the hospital’s 1990-91 budget projec- tions passed recently by the hospi- tal board. By ELIZABETH COLLINGS News Reporter The budget earmarks $82 million for operating costs and $2.7 mil- lion for capital costs for the hospi- tal’s April 1, 1990 to March 31, 1991 fiscal year. The operating cost estimate con- stitutes a nine per cent increase from last year’s $75 million operating costs — a figure revised from the original $71 million estimate to accommodate wage settlements that ended last year's nurses’ strike. The $2.7 million in capital costs is almost half of last year’s $5 mil- lion budget, which covered LGH’s maternity ward renovation project. Smith said the hospital is in a better financial position than fast year when it faced a $2.5 million budget shortfall, which resulted in hospital bed closures, staff cuts and the introduction of user-pay fees for some of the hospital’s medical day programs. Although the nine per cent budget increase this year is the Math students EVER STOOD on the.banks of a river and wondered how much water is flowing by or how much lumber could be cut from a large tree? This week 60 of B.C.’s brightest high school students from Grades 9 and 10 will try to answer these and other mathematical brain twisters during an unusual outdoor math camp to be held at the North Vancouver District 44 Outdoor School from Friday to Sunday. “The goal of the outdoor camp is to teach students how to solve math problems in groups rather than in isolation,’’ said Ivan Johnson, a program consultant for the Burnaby school district and the organizer of Math Camp ‘90, an event being sponsored by the B.C. Association of Math Teachers. “The demands of modern in- dustry and business often require a team approach to problem solv- ing,” Johnson said. ‘‘Unfortu- nately, mathematics has fallen NOW AS LOW AS PLUS PDI. & FREIGHT — $595. orthshore» shore, 700 MARINE ae NORTH VANCOUVER 7ear same as the increase the hospital requested, but didn't get, last year, Smith said he is hopeful the health ministry’s review of LGH’s opera- tion will alter the government's assessment of LGH’s funding needs. The report has not yet been released. “I'm optimistic that we've had a good process of dialogue with the ministry,’’ he said, ‘‘but I have not got anything in writing and I’ve certainly learned not to spend any- thing without it.’’ Smith said that, if passed by the legislature, the budget includes approximately 20 new positions for health and support staff — staff- ing areas hit by last year’s restraint. **It (the budget) attempts to ad- dress some of the areas of restraint that affected us last year,’’ he said. The budget also allocates funds for additional full-time equivalent (FTE) non-nursing positions to help absorb the extra work load as certain non-nursing duties pres- ently done by nurses are reallocated to non-nursing staff. But Smith cautioned that the hiring of staff depends on the legislature’s approval of the budget: “‘So, I’m reluctant to run out and say, ‘whoop-de-doo — new jobs!’”’ Next year’s capital funding will be concentrated in three major learn outdoors behind other educational disciplines in applying cooperative teaching methods and group prob- lem solving.” He added that the math camp will provide a unique opportunity for students to work together to solve challenging and practical math problems. Twenty high schoo! math teach- ers from school districts around the province will take part in the program. Representatives from industry will also be on hand to explain how they solve the same complex math problems in the field. ‘The students will be under real-life pressure,’’ said Johnson. “‘Most people would take an entire weekend to solve just one of the many math problems that students will be faced with during the two- day camp.”’ The North Vancouver Outdoor School is located on the banks of the Chekamus River, about six kilometres north of Brackendale. aoc AVAILABLE AND BANK FINANCING Sun. 987-4458 areas: the operating room, imaging services, and laboratories and in- formation services. Smith said the hospital’s budget projection is a ‘“‘highly educated guess,’’ based in part on increased salary rates, supply-cost inflation and projected werk-load activity. He added that if LGH didn't receive funding from the ministry of health in fine with its budget projection, the hospital’s restraint program would continue. But not all restraint measures imposed last year will be lifted. The fee for medical day programs in cardiac exercise, back and neck education and dietetic programs imposed last year will remain. But Smith remains optimistic the health ministry's review of LGH has promoted a better under- standing of the hospital’s level of activity. (IS BSH SOS IMPAIRED DRIVING ETER HOURS FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION Al | | FAX 645-8989 986-4366 986-9286 300-1401 LONSDALE, NORTH VANCOUVER, B.C. “Our ‘When You-Need-It? Loan. Go ahead, just as “Do we ‘do’ loans? Absolutely. It’s one of the things we do best. Choose between a fixed or variable rate. Pick the term of your loan, fromm one to five years. Pay the loan off early, no penalty, if you like. So. when you T need a loan, go ahead. Just ask.” Foilains ingour Community” ARDAGH HUNTER TURNER Dr. Janice A. 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