Simcoe-Grey MPP Jim Wilson is spending his final term in office continuing to push for two hospital projects in his riding.
Both Collingwood General and Marine Hospital and Alliston Stevenson Memorial Hospital have submitted redevelopment applications to the Ontario government.
Wilson raised the projects in the legislature on Friday asking Health Minister Christine Elliott for a status update on the redevelopment proposals.
"She would only commit that 'discussions are ongoing,'" noted Wilson in a news release.
He is encouraging the public to help "advance these much-needed projects" through a letter-writing campaign to both Premier Doug Ford and Health Minister Christine Elliott.
"I've always believed that the squeaky wheel gets the grease," said Wilson in the news release. "COVID-19 has brought into sharp focus the need for a new hospital to replace the ageing Collingwood General and Marine Hospital."
In his question to the health minister, Wilson noted overcrowding at the G&M hospital with patients being treated in hallways and no room for staff change rooms even before the pandemic began.
Elliott responded by acknowledging Wilson's long history of advocating for the hospital projects, which was met with applause.
"We are going through a pandemic, we are devoting many financial resources to dealing with that," said Elliott. "With the billions of dollars we are putting into protecting Ontarians, the hospital capital supply is limited. We are moving forward with the projects that are most in need."
She said she looked forward to further discussions to better understand the needs, specifically whether it is a "new build" that is needed.
"We hope we can move forward with it quickly, but exactly when I can't say," said Elliott.
Wilson responded by noting the hospitals that have been built "all around his riding."
"But the 60-year-old plus hospitals in Collingwood and Alliston have had nothing done to them," said Wilson.
He encouraged Elliott to go back to her staff to ask them to "seriously consider" a new build instead of expanding the current hospital (in Collingwood).
In the media release, Wilson suggested his constituents email their thoughts on the hospital projects to [email protected] and/or [email protected].
You can watch the full exchange between Wilson and Elliott in the legislature here:
