Protesters press MP Fred Davies to keep healthcare local

A small group of Fort Erie residents stood outside MP Fred Davies’s office last Wednesday holding signs to save the Douglas Memorial site and restore 24/7 urgent care, while passing drivers on Jarvis Street leaned on their horns in support.

The rally by Fort Erie Healthcare SOS reflects growing concern that the planned 2028 opening of South Niagara Hospital in Niagara Falls will result in the loss of local urgent care and hospital services, leaving some residents without practical access to local treatment.

Heather Kelley, a board member with Fort Erie Healthcare SOS, told Fort Erie Radio that the protest was partially to address confusion about how healthcare decisions are made across levels of government.

She said the Douglas Memorial site may qualify for federal infrastructure funding and that support from Davies could help secure that investment from Ottawa needed to sustain urgent care and meet the community’s healthcare needs.

“We know that there’s been a lot of fear and a lot of angst by a number of people, those that don’t drive anymore, those that can’t drive at night, and just need a quick visit to a medical centre,” said Kelley.

She described the rally as part of an ongoing campaign to keep pressure on local politicians and inform residents about how funding flows from Parliament Hill to Queen’s Park and into local hospitals.

“People still really don’t understand the role that the federal government plays and the role that the province plays and the role that the municipal government plays when it comes to healthcare,” said Kelly.

Mary Cooper, an organizer with Fort Erie Healthcare SOS, told Fort Erie Radio the number of passersby the group interacted with was sparse, but they will continue holding regular rallies to maintain visibility on the issue.

“Virtually every car that passed honked in support and every person stopped to pick up a leaflet,” said Cooper. “This puts pressure on Niagara Health, who, up until now, have disregarded the healthcare needs of Fort Erie.”

Niagara Health has outlined a transition to a three-site hospital system centred in Niagara Falls, St. Catharines and Welland, with Douglas Memorial’s urgent care centre expected to close in 2028 when the new South Niagara Hospital opens.

“Closure of Douglas Memorial and the Urgent Care Centre will be catastrophic for the most vulnerable in our community,” said Cooper. “Getting to and from the new Niagara Falls hospital using public transport will be extremely difficult.”

Ontario’s health minister, Sylvia Jones, told Fort Erie Radio at a press conference that planning decisions will be made on a regional basis rather than through individual municipal agreements, and would not guarantee the future of urgent care in Fort Erie.

Cooper also raised concerns about how federal healthcare transfers are spent, saying healthcare funding from Ottawa must only be used in compliance with the Canada Healthcare Act and not for healthcare privatization.

Healthcare SOS members distributed information about an upcoming Community Healthcare Forum on April 18 at the Fort Erie Leisureplex banquet hall from 3 to 5 p.m.

The forum is scheduled to include a presentation from Mayor Wayne Redekop outlining the town’s proposed path for maintaining healthcare services in Fort Erie after 2028.

“We need you to show your support for urgent care, for Douglas Memorial and for the town, which is fully committed to keeping our hospital open,” said Cooper.

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