Health unit move hits roadblock

London city council and Middlesex County are at odds over the future of the Middlesex-London Health Unit.

Health officials began looking for a new home after Middlesex County expressed a desire in 2015 to build a 28-storey apartment building at 50 King St., the current home of the health unit.

The county went so far as to have the site re-zoned.

Enthusiasm in the county for the development has cooled over the past two years, as evidenced on Tuesday when county politicians voted in favour of delaying a decision on the move.

The county decision runs counter to the mood at 300 Dufferin Ave. where  London politicians voted 14-0 in favour of moving ahead with the process to find a new home.

“This is an important step in the process of the health unit relocating,” said Ward 4 Coun. Jesse Helmer. “As folks know there’s a process that’s been underway for sometime and this is one part of that process.”

Few details are known about where health unit officials would like to move.

The health unit has outgrown its office at King St. and has had to open another office at 201 Queens Ave.

Health officials have provided details of the potential move to city and county politicians behind closed doors, saying confidentiality is crucial during negotiations.

Provincial rules require the health unit to ask municipalities that provide funding to give “consent” before it acquires property.