Forster To Ontario Health Minister Deb Matthews: Keep Health Care Services In South Niagara

Submitted to NAL by the Office of Welland, Ontario MPP Cindy Forster

(A brief foreward by Niagara At Large publisher Doug Draper – While St. Catharines MPP Jim Bradley was attending an official ribbon cutting ceremony this March 7 for the new hospital opening this March  24 in his St. Catharines riding, Welland MPP Cindy Forster , an NDP member of the provincial legislature, opted out of an opportunity to attend the ceremony to make the following statement in the legislature to the Liberal government of which Bradley is a member.)

QUEEN’S PARK, March 7 – Today in question period, Welland MPP Cindy Forster called on Health and Long-Term Care Minister Deb Matthews to cancel plans to move key health care services from the south Niagara area to a new St. Catharine’s hospital.

Welland, Ontario MPP abd NDP member Cindy Forster

“People are worried that the ribbons that are being cut today at the new St. Catharines hospital will mean out of business signs for south Niagara,” said Forster. “Residents know that re-establishing the services close to home is years away at best. This gap in services is unacceptable.”

Important services including obstetrics and paediatrics are being moved to the new St. Catharines hospital. For many residents, accessing these services will require driving over an hour, or travelling by public transit for over four hours.

Residents are worried that this move will signal a gradual decline in services in their area. 

“Experts in my riding like Dr. Andrei Arvinte, president of the Niagara Health System Medical Staff Association, are concerned that once these services are moved out of the area, other health care services will follow and the expertise, the staff and the money will leave south Niagara hospital services,” explained Forster.

“Nearly 20,000 residents have signed a petition calling on the government to stop the move of important services,” said Forster. “Will the Minister listen to the residents and preserve these services in south Niagara?”

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