Submitted by the Niagara Health System
March 7, 2013 – The ribbon has been cut, and the final countdown is officially on for the March 24 opening of the new St. Catharines hospital site.
Kevin Smith, supervisor of the Niagara Health System in Niagara, Ontario. speaking at ribbon cutting for the new hospital in west St. Catharines. Photo by Doug Draper
With just 17 days until opening, community partners from around the province joined the Niagara Health System this morning for the ceremonial ribbon cutting of the new St. Catharines Site. There is a tremendous amount of excitement within the NHS and the broader community as the opening of this state-of-the-art facility approaches.
“We were very pleased to have a large number of political leaders, health care partners, staff, physicians and volunteers join us this morning for this important milestone for healthcare in Niagara,” says Dr. Kevin Smith, NHS Supervisor.
“The new hospital is attracting international attention for its design and application of technologies. We are extremely fortunate to have world-class facilities in the Region to support our care team in providing an optimal patient experience.”
The new St. Catharines Site is a replacement community hospital for the St. Catharines General and Ontario Street sites. It will also offer new regional services in cancer care, cardiac care and mental health care not currently available in Niagara.
“Countless people and organizations have played a crucial role in bringing us to where we are today, and I would like to thank everyone who has helped to make this facility a reality,” says Dr. Sue Matthews, Interim President and CEO of the NHS. “Hundreds of hospital staff, physicians and volunteers continue to work extremely hard behind the scenes to be ready for opening day. We are all excited to have the opportunity to provide one million square feet of care to our patients and their loved ones.”
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Niagara At Large 
Mr Smith in his speech refers to Mental Health ,Cancer and cardiac care as being Regional Services. Did he hesitate to mention that all Maternity and Pediatric care will be regional as of March 24th…or does he finally agree with Councils, Doctors, Politicians and communities that the plan is flawed and Mat/Peds should remain in their current community Hospitals.
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While the elite celebrate, those of us in the boondocks mourn for the loss of our community hospital services, Obstetrics, Paediatrics, and Mental Health, with Orthopaedics and other surgical specialities in the near future. Our doctors are right when they say, “once they leave they will never return”. Anybody that thinks these services will return if a new hospital is built in Niagara Falls is living in a dream world. Niagara will eventually be a two tier hospital system….the haves and the have nots, with very poor access to inpatient acute hospital services for the have nots in the true south.
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This St. Catharines Hospital has been built on the backs of Fort Erie, Port Colborne ,Welland & Niagara Falls…… what is cannot be reversed but it still prospers because these places have been raped to channel funds for its existence!!!!
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We who work, pay and care for one another – have been done in by the corporate elite….
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“We are extremely fortunate to have world class facilities in our region.” What region would that be? Sure as hell isn’t our region in Fort Erie. Congratulations St. Catharines.
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