. . . at Queen's Park, across Ontario and elsewhere.

* A new program to coordinate care for high-needs patients will increase collaboration among health-care providers, Health Minister Deb Matthews announced Thursday.

Health Links will be rolled out in 19 communities in 2013, and will eventually expand to the rest of the province. LHINs will administer the effort, in which one provider in each community will coordinate patient treatment with family doctors, specialists, hospitals, home care and long-term care, or community support programs.

“Health Links will break down barriers for Ontarians, making access to health care easier and less complicated,” she said.

Matthews has referred in several recent speeches to this effort to address health care silos, and alluded in November to a province-wide rollout based on two pilot projects in Ontario. QP Briefing previously reported on what Matthews calls the next step in her health care transformation, and that story provides a snapshot of what Health Links will look like in action.

“By encouraging local health providers to work together to coordinate care for individual patients, we’re ensuring our most vulnerable patients – seniors and those with complex conditions – get the care they need,” Matthews said.

* The Town of East Gwillimbury, the City of Hamilton and the City of Markham have all received Community Conservation Awards, an award co-sponsored by Ontario Power Authority, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario and the Electricity Distributors Association for their commitment to energy-saving programs and initiatives.

“AMO firmly supports our collective efforts to build a culture of conservation in Ontario,” said AMO president Gary McNamara in a written statement.

“Municipalities are local leaders committed to reducing costs and doing our part to fight climate change. Conservation is a straightforward, common sense approach to help reach those goals.”

* The City of Burlington, citing the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, is set to eliminate free bus rides for blind passengers on Jan. 1. The city says it is complying with provisions of the act that make fare parity mandatory for all riders.

The Burlington Post, however, notes that the Ministry of Community and Social Services said in October that each municipality in the province was free to determine its own exceptions to the rules on fares.

* Cornwall Police Chief Dan Parkinson is suggesting a new fine that is bound to get a close look from council and other municipalities. Parkinson is floating the idea of penalizing callers who accidentally pocket-dial the city’s 911 emergency line.

Quotes of the Day

“Do you know what I could use? A hug.”

- Premier Dalton McGuinty, speaking to preschoolers during a tree-trimming photo op outside his office

“You ask about how we know we would make more money. I can tell you, frankly, we don’t. But we don’t know that we would make any less money.”

- Progressive Conservative finance critic Peter Shurman responds to questions about plans to sell off the LCBO and OLG

Tweet of the Day

@rjbrennan

"Just told by a Queen's Park flak I can't stop politicians and ask them question whenever I feel like it. Is she in for a surprise. #onpoli"

- Veteran Toronto Star reporter Richard "Badger" Brennan returns to the press gallery

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