Motion seeks to keep ‘essential element of health care’ in Fort Erie

Niagara Health’s decision to close its Fort Erie urgent care centre (UCC) shouldn’t mean the end of primary care in town, nor should it mean the money currently used to run the centre has to leave either.

At least that’s the argument Mayor Wayne Redekop made in a motion councillors passed unanimously at the October 21 council meeting.

His motion made several requests, including that the Minister of Health commit to funding all services at the new hospital without using the funding allocated for Douglas Memorial, and that that funding allocation be set aside to support a redeveloped model that keeps primary care services in Fort Erie.

“Primary care is the essential element in health care for all Canadians,” Redekop said, echoing comments made earlier in the day by Jane Philpott after she was appointed by the provincial government to lead a team that’s been mandated to connect all Ontarians with primary health care.

Philpott compared access to primary care to a child’s access to education in the province, in that access to primary care is just as guaranteed as a child being assigned to a school.

Redekop’s lengthy motion recapped some of the history of Douglas Memorial Hospital, including its origin of being built mainly from funds left by the estate of William Douglas.

It also pointed out that the hospital “operated in the black during all of its years of operation (1931-1998) as a full-service hospital under the management and guidance of its own board of trustees.”

It was in 1998 that the hospital moved under the umbrella of what was then called the Niagara Health System.

The motion references not just urgent care, but funding that’s provided for chronic and palliative care beds, and that “all diagnostic and associated services at Douglas Memorial remain in Fort Erie.”

It also suggests a new model be developed “with or without the involvement of (Niagara Health).”

The motion is to be sent on to Premier Doug Ford’s office to seek his support, as well as Minister of Health Sylvia Jones, their federal counterparts Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and federal Minister of Health Mark Holland, and both MPPs and MPs from Niagara’s four ridings.

Councillors in attendance at the meeting took turns sharing their thoughts on the motion. Fort Erie council, and the community at large, has been fighting to protect health care services in town for years.

“Do not put a price tag on people’s health in this country, period,” said Councillor George McDermott.

Redekop’s motion includes several points of justification for the request, such as reduced hours of Fort Erie’s UCC despite increasing populations and further population increase projections.

It also points to the 7,000 people in Fort Erie who remain “unattached to a primary care physician” and calls the UCC a “safety net” for those people.

The crowd in attendance who were there to support the mayor’s motion clapped several times when councillors shared their thoughts. Applause is not typically permitted in council chambers, though leeway was given on this night.

“Normally we don’t clap but I’m not going to stop them tonight,” said Councillor Darren Flagg, who took over chairing duties to allow Redekop to introduce his motion.

Councillors like Nick Dubanow recounted their own personal experiences using the urgent care centre in Fort Erie. For him, it was a kidney stone that prompted immediate care in the middle of a foggy night where driving up to Niagara Falls would have been a challenge.

“That was really my eye opener,” he said. “What I experienced are what so many others in the community have experienced as well.”

Dubanow pointed to Haldimand County, a relatively small community that’s able to run its own hospital. He also said there are plenty of medical professionals in Fort Erie who can lend their expertise.

“I’m of the opinion that we don’t need them (Niagara Health) at this point.”

A separate report during the evening sought approval to have McDermott and Joan Christensen represent council at the upcoming Rural Ontario Municipal Association. Dubanow encouraged the pair to pitch their case to Jones at the conference.

Christensen acknowledged there are other rural communities in the province facing similar health care shortages, saying large centres tend to attract all the health care dollars. However, 100 per cent of Canadians require access to primary care.

“It goes to the heart of health care in this community,” she said.

Councillor Tom Lewis used the motion to reiterate his position that Fort Erie reconsider what to do with the $3 million it set aside for the new South Niagara hospital.

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