Minden and Chesley, Ont. residents fight to save their hospital's futures
The parallel between emergency department closures in two communities hundreds of kilometres away has brought residents from each to fight against it.
On Friday, Minden, Ont. residents visited Chesley, Ont., where the community's emergency department cut back on 24/7 care to operate on weekdays only from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
At the time, the South Bruce Grey Health Centre decided to combat rolling daytime and overnight closures at the hospital that had been in place since 2019.
"We only have part-time ER services," said Brenda Scott, co-chair of the Chesley Hospital Community Support group. "We're concerned that signals the potential end to our hospital."
- Download the CTV News app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox
It's a similar story in Minden, only tenfold.
The community is set to lose its emergency department on June 1, when it will be consolidated into Haliburton's hospital.
'Save Minden ER' coalition co-chairs Richard Bradley and Patrick Porzuczek made the trek to Chesley on Friday to meet with its residents and to share their own stories.
"This is a community of not necessarily the highest income people that don't have vehicles to travel to another hospital," Bradley told CTV News. "The other hospital is about 25 minutes away. Well, that sounds a whole lot like us."
A statement from the Ministry of Health echos what the Ford government has been saying since Minden's Emergency Department closure was first announced.
"Hospitals are independent corporations who are authorized to direct their own operations, including decisions respecting services that they provide and in what locations; the Ministry of Health is not involved in these decisions, and to suggest so is false," it reads. "What the NDP fails to understand is this consolidation was made by Haliburton Highlands Health Services board and leadership, as they are responsible for daily operational decisions. It is not a closure."
Residents and Ontario's opposition party argue that it is, in fact, closing.
"All that will be left is an x-ray and bone density scanner," said Chris Glover, MPP for Spadina-Fort York. "I don't know how the government defines a hospital, but when they say they're not closing the hospital, it doesn't add up with the facts."
The Ford government added that some existing services would remain in place following June 1.
If they cannot prevent the closure, Bradley and Porzuczek say they won't rest until the decision is overturned.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Baby boom amongst nurses leads to maternity ward closure in Listowel, Ont.
The emergency room at Listowel’s hospital is open today, but come summer, their obstetrics unit will be temporarily closing its delivery rooms.
Humboldt Broncos bus crash survivor qualifies Canada for Paralympics in rowing event
Former Humboldt Broncos goaltender and bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann has qualified Canada for a rowing event for the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris.
Krispy Kreme doughnuts coming to McDonald's in U.S., but not Canada
Canadians will be missing out on a sweet new partnership between McDonald's and Krispy Kreme, which will see doughnuts available at McDonald's locations across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.