The Town of Collingwood won’t be signing a joint letter that originated in Clearview Township, pleading with the provincial government to approve a new Collingwood General and Marine Hospital build on Poplar Sideroad.
Following a lengthy in-camera session on Feb. 27, Collingwood councillors voted to defeat a motion to sign the letter to provincial Health Minister Sylvia Jones, who is also deputy premier, indicating the desire to see the new hospital built at the Poplar Sideroad location.
The letter originated in Clearview Township and has redacted signatures from every mayor except Collingwood Mayor Yvonne Hamlin.
Following the meeting, Hamlin explained that she had sent a letter with essentially the same message to the province on behalf of the Town of Collingwood earlier in February.
“It was a similar letter,” Hamlin told Village Media. “For me, I didn’t see the need for another letter at this time. Things could change.”
According to the agenda, the matter was discussed in-camera and the draft letter was not attached to the public agenda. Hamlin said a copy of the letter will be included on the March 4 council agenda, as well as the letter she sent to the same effect earlier this month.
“Recently, we learned that the construction of the new hospital has encountered further delays and the Infrastructure Ontario Market Update has now extended the project timeline by 15 months," the draft letter states. "The approval of the greenfield build site for the hospital is the crucial first step in the process of realizing a new health-care facility for South Georgian Bay. The move to a greenfield build for the regional hospital is, in our view, the optimal choice for the communities we serve.”
At this point in the process of redeveloping the Collingwood hospital, the province has not committed to a final location.
Five municipalities are considering signing the letter: Collingwood, Wasaga Beach, Clearview, The Blue Mountains and Grey Highlands.
Clearview signed on earlier in February, and at their meeting on Feb. 20, Town of the Blue Mountains council unanimously approved signing on. The draft letter was attached to their council agenda, linked here.
According to an email attached written by Clearview Township clerk Sasha Helmkay-Playter, the letter was drafted in consultation with the respective mayors from each municipality. The draft letter has redacted signatures from every mayor except Hamlin.
“I sent a letter I thought covered what needed to be said by our town. I didn’t see the need to send a joint letter at this time,” said Hamlin.
— With files from Chris Fell
