New hospital avoids Queen’s Park budget axe

Province confirms new site for south Niagara will go ahead as planned

The planned new south Niagara hospital has dodged the budget squeeze at Queen’s Park.

Despite Premier Doug Ford’s election campaign promise to cut $6 billion out of the Ontario budget, the hospital will be built, a ministry spokesman confirmed via email.

“The government is committed to building the new South Niagara Hospital. The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care will work with the Niagara Health System and the Local Health Integration Network to continue planning for this important project,” a ministry spokesman wrote.

However, the spokesman said the ministry would not comment on specific elements of the plan that was put in place by the former Liberal government. That includes having the new hospital open by 2023, and for the Welland hospital to remain open after that with services still to be determined. In October, then-health minister Dr. Eric Hoskins visited Niagara Falls to confirm construction of the new hospital would move ahead at the Montrose and Biggar roads site. The total cost to plan and build the hospital at the 50-acre property is

expected to be more than a billion dollars.

That month, the Liberals also stated in a news release that the Welland hospital would be staying open and “its services will be finalized as the planning process for the new hospital moves forward.”

This week, Niagara Falls MPP Wayne Gates noted Ford supported building the new hospital, during the provincial election campaign.

“Ford came to Welland back on May 30 and said that he would build a Niagara Falls hospital and he’d leave the Welland hospital open … the one thing he keeps saying over and over is that he lives by his promises,” Gates said.

He said he hoped to meet with health minister Christine Elliott at Queen’s Park this week to discuss the hospital plan.

“We’ve always said we want the hospital built yesterday. But the reality is, a hospital is a very complex building, which they’ve committed to building,” Gates said.

“We’re moving through the stages slower than we’d all like, but with the understanding that if you’re going to build a hospital you hope will be there for the next 50 or 60 years, we want to make sure we get it right.”

Last week, Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati – who himself was in hospital battling pneumonia – said planning for the new hospital is “full steam ahead.”

“I spoke with (Premier) Doug Ford twice prior to the election, and he spoke to me in support of the new hospital, and again said it publicly. I’m certain that he will keep his word.”

“Ford came to Welland back on May 30 and said that he would build a Niagara Falls hospital and he’d leave the Welland hospital open … the one thing he keeps saying over and over is that he lives by his promises.” NIAGARA FALLS MPP WAYNE

GATES

The province is facing a $12billion deficit this year, according to its Financial Accountability Office, and Ford’s Progressive Conservatives took office on a campaign promise to cut $6 billion in spending.

Already, the new government has scrapped a $100-million fund for school repairs; enacted a pay freeze for public sector managers; and eliminated the Green Ontario Fund, that provided financial help for homeowners to retrofit their homes with items like energy-efficient windows, better insulation and thermostats.

Under the Liberals’ plan, the full-service hospital would replace Greater Niagara General Hospital and provide general surgery, ER, lab services, MRI, CT scans, ultrasound and X-ray services.

It would also include a regional stroke program, seniors’ wellness programs, breast screening services, integrated chronic disease management programs and mental health and addiction services.

The project is following a fivestep plan leading up to construction.