Thank you to all the Public Healthcare Supporters that attended our Forum on April 18, 2026. With close to 200 residents attending we heard from all level of Representatives for the Town of Fort Erie.
Heather Kelley opened the forum with a “Land Acknowledgement” and appreciation for the community organizations that cam to set up tables and everyone from the community that was able to attend the Public Forum.
It was noted that every level of our elected representatives were present and regrets from Natalie Mehra from the Ontario Health Coalition as car troubles had kept her away from the event.
Mayor Wayne Redekop would speak on the issue of Reimagining Douglas Memorial
Councillor Tom Insinna from the Niagara Region would address Ambulance and Road Issues
Member of Provincial Parliament Wayne Gates would address the responsibility of the Provincial Government.
Mayor Wayne Redekop addresses the community
Member of Parliament Fred Davies would address the responsibility of the Federal Government and the Canada Health Act.
Sue Hotte from the Niagara Health Coalition was the afternoons emcee.
Mayor Redekop presented a power point presentation on Reimaging Douglas Memorial which can be found on the Town’s Let’s Talk Fort Erie web site.
https://letstalk.forterie.ca/douglas
Councillor Tom Insinna from the Niagara Region spoke about the growing population and issues arising with ambulance services. There often are not enough beds in the three locations that ambulances report to (St. Catharines, Niagara Falls and Welland) that the patient and the attendants are held at Emergency until beds become available, creating further back logs in the system. In addition the Region has also had to contribute more for health care services and these increases are not sustainable.
He also took into account the Sodom Road conditions in the Winter in bad storms where the highway can be inaccessible.
Member of Provincial Parliament Wayne Gates was able to get the crowds attention by noting that healthcare and hospitals were a Provincial Responsibility and that having large centralized care centres often left small rural areas trying to find care closer to home. The cost and expense are often too great for many residents; but he noted that the Premier had just bought a small jet aircraft for himself to travel through Ontario.
He noted that he was here when the Yellow Shirts managed to save the Urgent Care and he is here now working with SOS to keep and maintain Douglas Memorial. “I will work with you for as long as it takes” quoted Wayne Gates to secure Douglas Memorial for the people of Fort Erie.
Fred Davies MP noted that he would first speak as a member of the community. He has been fighting for over 30 years to increase the kinds of care available in our small communities for healthcare. He noted often mental health supports were not immediately available and we need to make sure with our growing populations that our residents receive the care they need close to home.
As a Member of Parliament working in the Federal Government he was able to ask how to access the Infrastructure healthcare funding that was announced last year. Funding is to start to roll out in 2027 and the Federal Government has commited to $5 million over three years. He noted that the Provincial Government would receive and disburse the funds.
Sue Hotte from the Niagara Health Coalition spoke about the need to continue to fight for Public Healthcare right across the Province. She noted that there were flyers in the back of the room to provide information and contact information to help ensure people are being provided information they can use to speak with their representatives to make the needed change and to keep Douglas Memorial open and in service to the community.
Having an Urgent Care Centre and Alternate level of care beds would provide services relieving the larger centre hospitals to be able to care for the Emergency patients quicker and more efficiently.
Fort Erie Healthcare SOS appreciates all of the great work the volunteers have done to keep Douglas Memorial front and centre. It is a goal that we continue to move forward and that our Local Businesses get on board along with our Charitable and Non-Profits. Everyone at some point (some more than others) need the help and assistance of our healthcare. We need to make sure that healthcare is here and available when we need it.We can succeed if we work together.
