'I hope they have a bed for mom': Town of Whitby launches campaign to pressure province on long-promised hospital
The Town of Whitby is launching a public awareness and letter-writing campaign to pressure the province to get moving on a long-promised hospital.
The previous provincial government first recommended a new acute care hospital for Durham Region in 2015.
In 2022, an independent panel identified a 50-acre parcel of land in Whitby, near Highways 412 and 407, as the preferred site for the regional health centre.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
"For two years we have been patient, but we simply can't wait any longer," Mayor Elizabeth Roy told reporters Wednesday.
Roy is urging the Ford government to commit $3 million to allow planning and design work to begin, as well as commit to the Whitby location.
The town is spreading its message through billboards, ads in doctor's offices, on social media and in newspapers, and inviting residents to send notes to Premier Doug Ford through its website.
By 2051, the town says the population of Durham Region is expected to nearly double to 1.3 million. With a potential hospital build lasting a decade, Roy says the government needs to act now to add capacity to a healthcare system already struggling to keep up.
"(It's) new families having children. It's children who get sick. It's seniors who also are experiencing time and delay where they're sitting within their emergencies in the hallways before they can even get a bed."
Pickering Mayor Kevin Ashe agrees a Durham hospital is overdue but argues it should be hosted in his city, the only Durham municipality without a hospital.
"We recognize that Whitby was recommended through community consultation as the preferred site of the new Lakeridge Hospital," Hannah Jensen, spokesperson for Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones, writes in a statement.
"We will continue to work closely with Lakeridge Health and other partners on the next round of planning grants for this project to deliver more connected, convenient care in the Durham Region for years to come."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
World's record-breaking hot temperature streak stretches through April
The world just experienced its hottest April on record, extending an 11-month streak in which every month set a temperature record, the European Union's climate change monitoring service said on Wednesday.
BREAKING Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests about relationship with Prince Harry
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Seafood, eat food: Calgary Stampede releases Midway menu
The Calgary Stampede has released its menu of sweet, salty and spicy treats available on the Midway for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
AstraZeneca says it will withdraw COVID-19 vaccine globally as demand dips
AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it had initiated the worldwide withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine due to a 'surplus of available updated vaccines' since the pandemic.
Ontario man devastated to learn $150,000 line of credit isn't insured after wife dies
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they've changed their name
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
Trial begins for Winnipeg serial killer who claims he was mentally ill
The trial of a man who admits he killed four women in Winnipeg is set to begin Wednesday, and a law professor says lawyers for Jeremy Skibicki have multiple hurdles to clear for a defence of mental illness.