No response yet to Fort Erie’s recent health care resolution

The premier and minister of health have yet to respond to a resolution Fort Erie made last month calling on funding for primary care services in Fort Erie to stay in the municipality.

Staff at the town said during Monday’s council-in-committee meeting that they’ve received no word yet, in response to a question from Mayor Wayne Redekop, who also said he’s yet to receive anything.

“I was wondering if we’ve heard anything from either the premier or the minister of health with respect to the resolution we passed a couple of weeks ago?” Redekop asked.

“No, we have not heard anything back. There’s been no correspondence through my office in relation to either of those requests,” responded CAO Chris McQueen.

Back in October council passed a resolution that made several health care related requests, including the minister of health committing to having the funding currently used for Douglas Memorial Hospital to stay in Fort Erie and be used for a new primary care model that would be developed with or without the help of Niagara Health.

The resolution came as a result of ongoing disputes over the future of health care in Niagara.

Niagara Health is in the midst of building a new South Niagara site, with plans to close urgent care centres in Fort Erie and Port Colborne once the new site is operational. The overall plan is to have three sites–Niagara Falls, Welland and St. Catharines–as the major health care hubs in Niagara.

Last month’s motion called for the funding of primary care services at the new South Niagara site to not be taken from funding currently allocated for Douglas Memorial.

Given the lack of a response, Redekop suggested McQueen follow up with the offices of the premier and minister of health.

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