Ford Government’s Planning Grant For Upgrading Welland Hospital May Not Be As Great As It Seems

A Comment from Fiona McMurran, a Welland resident and long-time community activist

Posted November 7^th, 2025 on Niagara At Large

Beware pf Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s planning grant for upgrading the Welland Hospital.

A planning grant for the Welland Hospital sounds great…but is it?

Does anybody remember the planning grant that Niagara Health (the amalgamated system overseeing the operation of Niagara’s hospital services) got as the first step toward building the South Niagara Hospital, that isn’t IN South Niagara (but the southwest end of Niagara Falls)?

Does anybody recall whether Niagara Health told residents how that planning grant money was used?

And when are we going to get an accounting of how a hospital project originally estimated to cost $1 billion ballooned to $3.6 billion?

I wouldn’t let Niagara Health have jurisdiction over that planning grant money. Not until they come forward with some facts and figures about the South Niagara Hospital.

Because it seems pretty clear that the South Niagara Hospital is in trouble, financially.

Why else is Niagara Health bullying Port Colborne, Fort Erie and Welland to ante up $millions for the new hospital (in the southwest end of Niagara Falls), when the services in their own municipalities are going to be cut?

Make it make sense, please.

Fiona McMurran’s comment is a response to the news posted on Niagara At Large this past November 6^th, which you can view by clicking on – https://niagaraatlarge.com/2025/11/06/ontario-government-approves-planning-grant-for-welland-hospital-following-pressure-from-niagara-centre-mpp-jeff-burch/

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