Hamilton’s hospitals seek shared funding for facilities in need of redevelopment

Hamilton’s aging hospitals are expected to need a $2 billion facelift over the next couple of decades.

That projection was presented to city politicians by the heads of Hamilton Health Sciences and St. Joseph’s Healthcare on Wednesday, who estimate that the community will be asked to contribute 30 per cent of that cost through municipal contributions and fundraising.

“This does not in any way suggest that we are expecting or hoping that the city is going cover anywhere near 100 per cent of this,” said St. Joseph’s Healthcare Interim CEO John Aldis. “Our foundations are going to be full throttle on this.”

The networks are seeking engagement with the city to explore local share funding options for advancing infrastructure redevelopments.

An outline presented to councillors says the upgrades would help attract healthcare professionals to the city, improve environmental sustainability and aid in maintaining partnerships with the city’s two largest learning facilities, McMaster University and Mohawk College.

“It’s a big hill to climb,” acknowledged HHS CEO Rob MacIsaac. “The municipality working together with the two hospitals, we need to come together and to start to think about some options.”

City councillors voted 12-3 to have staff enter into discussions with the two hospital systems, about how to pay for the local share.

Flamborough’s Ted McMeekin is among the councillors who’ve voted to enter into talks with the hospitals saying the move “doesn’t commit” to anything at this point.

“I don’t think anyone’s ever died of a question you may not like the answer.”

However Ward 2 Coun. Cameron Kroetsch said he wasn’t too keen on a question that maybe asking “how are we going to fund this? And if the answer ends up being City of Hamilton, we want you to pay us a bunch of money, we’re perfectly within our rights to say no thanks, or yes, or partly, or maybe, or try us again next Tuesday.”

Mountain Coun. Tom Jackson complains that the city may again be asked to step into an area of provincial responsibility, noting that the Ford government is sitting on a $22.6 billion surplus.

“He can make this all go away”, said Jackson.

Stoney Creek Coun. Brad Clark agreed suggesting “they could build these hospitals now, and not ask Hamilton for any money.”

Between the two networks, Hamilton has four emergency departments, a pair of urgent care centres, rehabilitation and complex care sites and a shared transitional care facility.

The redevelopment of the Juravinski Hospital on Hamilton Mountain is already underway.

Hospital executives add that Hamilton General, St. Joseph’s Charlton site and St. Peters are targeted for upgrades by 2040, to meet the needs of a growing and aging population and to meet modern standards for infection prevention and control.

They add that the aging facilities must be upgraded to accommodate technological advancements, in part to retain and attract staff within the current, competitive environment.

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