Ontario NDP leader vows to keep Douglas Memorial in operation

The provincial election is a little more than two weeks away, which means parties and candidates are all hands on deck with promises to voters.

In a news release, Ontario NDP leader Marit Stiles highlighted a recent visit to Niagara in which she announced a plan to restore services to the Douglas Memorial urgent care centre, as well as in Port Colborne and at the Welland Hospital.

“The people of Niagara deserve to have health care they can rely on. In an emergency, people deserve to get care close to home,” said the party leader.

“For decades, Liberal and Conservative governments have cut health care in Niagara, chipping away at services people rely on. People want and need more health care, not less,” said Stiles in the news release.

If she becomes premier, Stiles said she would open a fully staffed and full-service hospital in Welland that has a 24-7 emergency department, while also restoring services to the Fort Erie and Port Colborne sites.

Douglas Memorial in Fort Erie is a “literal life saver,” said Wayne Gates, incumbent candidate in the Niagara Falls riding, which also covers Fort Erie and Niagara-on-the-Lake.

“That’s why we are fighting to keep it open, around the clock, with expanded services, 365 days a year, by delivering a permanently open Douglas Memorial we also ease wait times in Niagara Falls,” he said.

The Fort Erie site is slated to close in 2028 when a new hospital is built in south Niagara Falls.

The Town of Fort Erie is pushing the provincial government to continue funding Niagara Health to allow the Douglas Memorial site to remain open.

Stay Informed

Events, offers, contests, and breaking news, all delivered straight to your inbox.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Subscribe