Fort Erie’s consultant casts doubt on saving Douglas Memorial
October 1, 2026 at 3:40 AM
Fort Erie’s own health-care consultant has cast doubt on the town’s push to turn Douglas Memorial Hospital into a community health hub, saying the building’s future “must be evaluated realistically.”
Santis Health, a Toronto consulting firm the town has paid $122,500, said many of the people it interviewed raised concerns about the building’s age and location.
The firm recommended the town consider Douglas Memorial for redevelopment which they said could include housing. Council endorsed that direction on September 28 and also told staff to weigh other locations for the hub.
The report went further, finding that attempts to keep “alternative standalone emergency structures” are neither funded by the province nor “sustainable long-term.”
Niagara Health still plans to close it when the new South Niagara Hospital opens in Niagara Falls in 2028.
In April, Mayor Wayne Redekop pitched Douglas Memorial as a hub with continued urgent care and up to 70 alternate level of care beds.
The Santis Health report never mentions those beds. For urgent care, it proposes only “non-hospital urgent care services,” such as walk-in and after-hours care.
Santis Health recommends one central hub where family doctors and other health workers would offer evening and weekend hours, alongside diagnostic imaging and lab services.
Fort Erie already has 13,542 residents without a family doctor, and the report expects about five of the town’s 12 physicians to retire within five years. Santis Health says a team-based hub would help recruit the new graduates needed to replace them.
“Significant work remains, and council maintains its position that the UCC (urgent care centre) at Douglas Memorial continues until a viable alternative is in place for our community,” said Redekop in a news release Tuesday.
Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones has so far declined to guarantee replacement urgent care for Fort Erie.
Council approved another $118,000 for the next phase of the health hub project, bringing the budget to $267,300. The money comes from a town reserve originally set aside for the South Niagara Hospital.
The public report leaves out the results of an independent assessment of the Douglas Memorial building, which cost the town $49,300.
Town staff said in a release they will now line up health-care partners and compare possible locations before returning to council with cost estimates and a recommended plan.
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About The Author
Andrew Hawlitzky
Andrew is a Niagara community journalist who has covered everything from local politics to annual festivals and breaking news. He works to make local news a platform where community voices lead the conversation. "If you don't like the news, go out and make some!"
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