Whitby Officials Urge Province to Fulfill Hospital Commitment

The mayor of Whitby, Ont., urged the province on Wednesday to follow through on its promise to build a new regional hospital in the area.

Elizabeth Roy told reporters that there’s a real need for an acute care hospital in Durham Region, located east of Toronto, because the current hospital system is struggling to meet demand and the region’s population is expanding. She noted that it’s expected to surpass one million people within the next two decades.

In recent months, she mentioned that residents have faced overcrowded emergency rooms and very long wait times. Some patients have had to wait up to three days before being admitted, she added.

“The pressures today are worse than during the pandemic,” Roy said at a news conference.

Roy also shared that the town has started a new advocacy campaign for the hospital through a website encouraging residents to write directly about their concerns to Ontario Premier Doug Ford.

An independent panel created by Lakeridge Health, which oversees hospitals in Durham Region, selected land in Whitby as the preferred location for a new hospital two years ago. This land belongs to the Ontario transportation ministry.

After announcing this site, Lakeridge Health requested $3 million from the Ontario health ministry as a capital planning grant for building the facility; however, they haven’t received it yet. Additionally, she stated that the land disposition process hasn’t begun either.

“Two years is too long, especially when it takes 10 years to build a new hospital,” Roy said.

Hospital Needed as More Homes Are Planned: Mayor

Lakeridge Health indicated that the chosen site for the new hospital is located in north Whitby, south of Highway 407, west of Highway 412, east of Lake Ridge Road and north of Highway 7/Winchester Road.

On its website, Lakeridge Health states it operates five hospitals along with four emergency departments and three critical care units. They also manage community locations, a long-term care home and a surgical centre.

Roy emphasized that further delays aren’t an option for this region. She pointed out that Whitby has committed to constructing 18,000 new homes by 2031 as part of Ontario’s provincial housing plan. More healthcare infrastructure is necessary to keep pace with this growth, she said.

She added that back in 2015, government officials first recommended establishing a new acute care hospital for this area.

‘Our current hospitals are at or overcapacity and we have significant growth coming,’ said Sarah Klein, director of strategic initiatives for the Town of Whitby. (CBC)

Sarah Klein, who serves as director of strategic initiatives for Whitby and is part of its hospital task force, concurred with Roy’s concerns.

“Our current hospitals are at or over capacity and we have significant growth coming. It is extremely important for the quality of life for our residents to address the current need and growing demand,” she stated.

Klein expressed hope that province will take immediate action in response to their request.

In a statement released Wednesday , a spokesperson from the health ministry acknowledged that Whitby was identified through community consultation as the preferred location for a new Lakeridge hospital.

“We will continue to work closely with Lakeridge Health and other partners on the next round of planning grants for this project to deliver more connected , convenient care in Durham Region ,” reads the statement.

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