A new hospital in Whitby, Ont., will be built and operational within 10 years, Health Minister Sylvia Jones said Thursday.
The province has given Lakeridge Health $12 million in capital planning grants as it works on a masterplan for the Durham region, east of Toronto, for several health-care projects.
“We are building, with Lakeridge Health, a hospital in Whitby,” Jones said. “Congratulations.”
Jones and Premier Doug Ford were in Oshawa, Ont., on Thursday to announce support for a long-term project in the area.
Lakeridge plans to add 300 new hospital beds in the region. That includes a redeveloped hospital in Bowmanville, Ont., and a new post-acute care facility in Pickering, Ont., for rehabilitation and recovery.
The province and the hospital are also considering redeveloping the Ajax Pickering Hospital.
“This expansion is part of an integrated and truly regional plan to provide people in Durham with more connected and convenient care,” Ford said.
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Lakeridge Health CEO Cynthia Davis called it an “exciting day.”
“Not only will we be able to move forward with the planning for the hospital in Whitby, but we’ll also have an opportunity to look more broadly throughout the Durham region, particularly in some of the gaps that we see related to complex continuing care and rehab,” Davis said.
The new hospital was welcome news to Whitby Mayor Elizabeth Roy.
“I am absolutely thrilled that the province of Ontario has recognized the urgent need for a new hospital in Durham Region and announced a capital planning grant for Lakeridge Health,” Roy said.
Earlier this year, the Town of Whitby launched an advocacy campaign to get a firm commitment from Ford and the province after it had said several times a new hospital was coming to Whitby, but action had not followed.
The campaign offered four prizes to residents in an effort to drum up support, which included a yearlong family health club membership, an Apple watch and two activity packs with backpacks and towels.
The campaign, and the prizes, caught Ford’s attention in April.
“Folks, that is wrong, you can’t be doing that,” Ford said at the time.
“Elected officials cannot be pulling these games. We’ve committed to make sure we have a hospital in Durham. We’re going to go through the process and I’m not going to be bullied by that mayor out there that’s constantly going out there and offering everything under the kitchen sink.”
Ford said the province would choose the site of the hospital, even though an expert panel recommended two years ago Lakeridge Health place the hospital at a specific site in Whitby.
The hospital will be built on that site, the mayor said.
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