Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare (MAHC) is hoping to have shovels in the ground ready to build a new hospital with two sites—one in Bracebridge and one in Huntsville—by 2029, heard those who attended a meeting in Dwight on Monday evening held by MAHC to update community members on its capital redevelopment project.
“We’re not just building a hospital, we’re helping to build a healthcare system,” said MAHC CEO Cheryl Harrison.
She told those present that the project had reached a significant milestone since community information sessions were held last January. Ontario’s latest market update includes the MAHC project with an expected schedule. It also includes a project design and construction cost which ranges from $500,000 to $ 1 billion. You can find it listed HERE (pdf).
“This is really important because it gives us our schedule with dates and we’re looking forward to having shovels in the ground in 2029,” noted Harrison. “With this comfort that we are formally on the Minstry’s list, we’re taking a little bit more time to complete stage 1.3… We want to make sure that when the proposal goes again it’s got everything that needs to be in there so we don’t have to do very much back and forth with the Ministry, so instead of submitting it in September, we’re going to wait until January. We wanted to do September because we wanted to make sure we’ve got dates, but we’ve got dates already,” she said.
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What happens if the government changes?
“We expect that the further we get into this lengthy process, the less likely for any delays. So momentum is everything and we need to keep our feet to the fire and we have no indication at this time that the current government is changing their mind on Muskoka having one hospital with two sites,” said Harrison.
Population trends to help plan for the functions of the two new sites
The population in the area is expected to grow with seniors making up the biggest increases through 2032. Those 80 years of age plus are expected to grow by 65 per cent. “So no surprise that we need bigger hospitals with more in-patients beds,” said Harrison. While people between the ages of 18 and 34 will make up about 17 per cent of the population.
“So, very important for us not only to build the walls for acute care but make sure that we’ve got connections with our community services so that folks can get the care that they need once they leave the hospital,” she said.
Harrison said making sure hospitals are accessible, and that there are enough private rooms is also important.
Sustainability and affordability
“We want to make sure that we’re co-locating services to improve efficiency, for example, having ambulatory clinics that have light services or light adjacencies that help them operate is really important instead of moving all over the place.” Harrison said being fiscally responsible with publicly funded money is important. “We want to make sure we’re right-sizing these buildings and we’re not overbuilding and we also want to embrace technology.”
Figuring out how the two sites will work together will not be easy. “Working through this stage requires us to be brave and bold, they’re not easy discussions to try to figure out what our two sites need to look like,” she said, adding that she’s sat in on some of the discussions being held by clinician user groups and “they are being very innovative. They’re thinking differently and they’re pushing on courageous conversations to make sure we have the right services at the right time in the right place.”
Will the model involve one ambulatory and one chronic care site?
Harrison said while that is a model being used in other places, like Mississauga, the District has decided against that model for Muskoka.
Raising the local share of the overall cost
The local share is anticipated at $225 million. The funds will be raised by the two hospital foundations, the District and its six member municipalities as well as the region of East Parry Sound. Harrison said the plan about how the local share of the project will be financed has to be submitted in January as well.
Harrison confirmed that MAHC’s contribution to the local share would entail funds from the sale of the Bracebridge property where South Muskoka Memorial Hospital is currently situated as well as the sale of the Fairvern property, once the long-term care home in Huntsville moves to its new location.
South Muskoka Memorial Hospital site location
Five sites out of about 20 plus were being considered. The teams and consultant have since narrowed them down to three:
- 1975 Muskoka Beach Road, which is the preliminary preferred location
- 300 Pine Street
- Highway 118 West
The properties that have been eliminated due to issues such as terrain, servicing, size, and/or distance to Hwy. 11 are:
- 709 Ecclestone Drive
- 28-72 Kirkhill Drive
The next meetings are scheduled for:
April 19 at 7 p.m.: Armour Ryerson Burk’s Falls Arena Hall
April 20 at 7 p.m.: Active Living Centre (1st floor), Huntsville
April 22 at 10 a.m.: Terry Fox Auditorium, Gravenhurst Centennial Centre
April 22 at 2 p.m.: Bracebridge Rotary Centre for Youth
Virtual information sessions are scheduled on Monday, April 24 at 7 p.m. and on Wednesday, April 26 at 10:30 a.m. More information and registration for the Zoom link to attend a virtual information session is available at www.mahc.ca/infosessions.
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