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In September, at a well-attended press conference outside
Peel Memorial Hospital (PMH), the Board of Trade launched
its campaign to lobby the Provincial Government to keep
PMH from closing once the new Brampton Civic Hospital
(BCH) opens on Oct. 28.
Speaking at the launch, Brampton Board of Trade President
Linda Ford said “our large and growing city warrants
having two hospitals – two hospitals that we were promised
to have – two hospitals that out community frankly needs
and deserves.”
Earlier this summer, The BBOT wrote a strongly-worded
letter to the Premier and Minister of Health urging
them to keep Peel Memorial Hospital open, calling the
closing a “health care crisis” for Brampton.
“Hospitals are a responsibility of the provincial government,
and as such, your government is accountable for ensuring
that Brampton has adequate hospital care that is commensurate
with our large and growing population, and with the
higher levels of service provided throughout the province,”
Ford said in the letter.
The Province has not yet responded.
BBOT CEO Sheldon Leiba said the Board of Trade felt
compelled to take action. “Brampton has long been under
serviced in hospital care and even when our new Brampton
Civic Hospital opens with 479 beds and expands to 608
beds in 2011/12, we will still be under serviced.”
“As Brampton’s leading business association we have
a strong focus on economic development and the quality
of life of our community. Businesses are attracted to
cities that have good health care services.”
With the new hospital at full compliment, Brampton will
have one bed per thousand, well below the provincial
average of 2.7.
“The gap in health care and social services is widening.
Our community is not receiving its fair share of funding
for these important services and we need to be vigilant
to ensure our citizens are well served,” says Ford.
October is Brampton Civic Hospital month, a campaign
to celebrate and engage residents in fundraising activities
to support the new hospital.
“Our campaign in no way is intended to take away from
the opening and the celebration of the new hospital.
We have been strong supporters of this world class facility
from its inception. We have even launched our own fundraising
campaign to support BCH. But the reality is, as our
population grows, we will need two hospitals and once
the doors close on PMH on October 28, we fear they will
not reopen and that would be a tragedy for our city,”
said Ford.
You can add your voice to other citizens who support
the Save our Hospital campaign by visiting www.saveourhospital.com
.
“Our campaign is a call to action for Brampton residents.
This is not a business issue; it’s a public health issue.
As a community we need to let the Premier and Health
Minister know that we will not accept this level of
hospital care in Canada’s 11th largest city. We need
two hospitals in Brampton and are demanding a demonstrable
commitment now.”
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