'Enough is enough:' Local politicians decry Niagara Health's decision to reduce urgent care hours
Some local elected officials in Fort Erie are calling on the CEO to resign, the provincial government to intervene and an immediate reversal of the decision.
Mayor Wayne Redekop told his council Monday evening that the people running the local hospital system "don't give a rats ass about Fort Erie."
His perspective was echoed by other councillors, including Nick Dubanow.
"I think we need to kick Niagara Health to the curb," he said. "I'm very angry. Enough is enough."
Earlier that day, Niagara Health had announced that throughout July, August and early September, it will close the Fort Erie Urgent Care Centre on Fridays and the Port Colborne Urgent Care Centre on Saturdays. Both centres will be closed on Canada Day, July 1, and the Labour Day long weekend, Aug. 30 to Sept. 1.
Fort Erie's will also be closed on the Civic Holiday long weekend, Aug. 1 to 4.
Normally they operate seven days a week.
Fort Erie Coun. Tom Lewis advised council on Monday he will be putting forward two motions later this month. The first will call for the town to "immediately withhold" committed funding to Niagara Health's new hospital, although it's unclear the dollar amount.
The second will call for the Niagara Health CEO Lynn Guerriero and members of the board to resign, and for the province to appoint a supervisor to oversee operations, Lewis said.
"Niagara Health has broken our trust," he said. "We owe it to the people of Fort Erie to take a firm stance. And I believe this council will."
Niagara Health said in a statement to CBC Hamilton local officials are oversimplifying the complexity of running a regional hospital system.
"We are disappointed when misinformation is shared by elected local officials in their zeal to build support for their campaigns," said spokesperson Erica Bajer.
Doctor shortage prompts closures
The closures are because the region faces a shortage of physicians qualified to work in emergency departments, Niagara Health said in a news release. The doctors who'd normally work in urgent care need to be deployed to hospitals and even still many shifts there remain unfilled.
"We know these closures are frustrating and concerning for the communities affected, said Dr. Kevin Chan, chief of staff, in the release. "They are not decisions we made lightly. This is the minimum level of closure required to maintain emergency care across the region."
There are no hospitals or emergency rooms in Fort Erie or Port Colborne and thousands of people are without a family doctor. The closest hospital is in Welland — about a 12-kilometre drive from Port Colborne and 32-kilometre drive from Fort Erie. Niagara Health also runs a hospital in St. Catharines and another in Niagara Falls.
Urgent care centres are supposed to be for people with health conditions who can't wait for a scheduled medical appointment but don't necessarily need emergency care, says Niagara Health's website. Those health conditions include nausea, vomiting, fevers, flu, minor cuts that may need stitches, sports injuries, ear, throat and eye problems and minor asthma flare-ups or allergic reactions.
Niagara Health said the urgent care closures are despite "exhaustive efforts" to recruit physicians including financial incentives, direct outreach, targeted recruitment campaigns and flexible scheduling.
"Further, Niagara Health is working tirelessly to recruit more physicians to the region and it's disingenuous to minimize the incredible challenge of physician recruitment in the face of a province-wide doctor shortage," said Bajer.
In 2009, Niagara Health converted Fort Erie's Douglas Memorial Hospital's emergency department to an urgent care centre. In 2023, it reduced hours at both centres from operating overnight to closing in the evening. It's also planning to close them permanently in 2028 when a new hospital in Niagara Falls is supposed to open.
'Treated as afterthoughts," mayor says
At a news conference Wednesday, Redekop and Port Colborne Mayor Bill Steele said they don't believe Niagara Health had a plan to keep the urgent care centres running seven days a week despite thousands of tourists visiting throughout the summer.
"I'm concerned we're being treated as afterthoughts and it's becoming normalized," Steele said.
They mayors were also joined by local NDP MPP Wayne Gates.
Steele and Redekop said they spoke with the Niagara Health CEO in May, where she gave them a heads up of staffing shortages that could impact urgent care. The mayors said they could help to recruit physicians and in a follow-up email requested to see the Niagara Health recruitment program, and the number of doctors needed, but never heard back.
Then on Monday, they had a call with Chan, the chief of staff. He advised them of the reduced hours, which Niagara Health made public during their meeting, Redekop said. No heads up was given to the mayors or councillors.
Redekop said at the meeting they also learned Niagara Health doesn't have a formal physician recruitment program or plan to develop a training program so family doctors can more easily become qualified to work in urgent care and emergency departments.
Niagara Health said it does "aggressive and ongoing recruitment efforts" that aren't limited to "a single campaign" and provided this "clarification" to the mayors on Monday. Bajer said Niagara Health sent information about its training process to them on Wednesday.
But Niagara Health also didn't post its physician schedules for the urgent care centres two months in advance as it normally does to give doctors who want more hours the opportunity to take them, Redekop said.
The hospital system said its process was delayed "as we worked to stabilize physician coverage across the entire hospital system, particularly in emergency departments, which are provincially mandated to remain operational."
Ministry says up to Niagara Health to decide
Several Fort Erie councillors said they didn't believe Niagara Health tried to keep the urgent care centres open, even as it will force more people to go to already busy hospitals for health care.
"The hospital system is effectively condemning its own emergency room," said Coun. Joan Christensen at Monday's council meeting, after having also joined the phone call with Niagara Health earlier in the day.
"In my opinion, our battle should now be with the Government of Ontario. We can't negotiate with people who are consistently misrepresenting the truth."
The Ministry of Health said in a statement it is up to Niagara Health's to decide how to deliver services.
"While the Ministry of Health was not directly involved in this decision, we will continue to work closely with Niagara Health and other hospital partners ... to ensure they have the tools they need to deliver high-quality care close to home," said press secretary Ema Popovic.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Globe and Mail
an hour ago
- Globe and Mail
Happy Belly Food Group's Heal Wellness Secures Real-Estate Location in Downtown Oakville, Ontario
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 13, 2025) - Happy Belly Food Group Inc. (CSE: HBFG) (OTCQB: HBFGF) (" Happy Belly" or the " Company"), a leader in acquiring and scaling emerging food brands across Canada is pleased to announce that its Heal Wellness brand has secured a real estate location in downtown Oakville, Ontario, with plans to open the 8 th corporate store for the brand. Heal Wellness (" Heal") is a fresh smoothie bowls, acai bowls, and smoothies quick serve restaurant ("QSR"). To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: "Securing our next corporate store location is an example of Happy Belly exercising its disciplined organic growth model, using free cash flow from our brand to compound growth. With a focus on (ROIC) Return on Invested Capital we believe this was the right time and location to accelerate our corporate store count. Capital allocation across our brand portfolio is critical as we look to accelerate our growth and maximize returns for our shareholders", said Sean Black, Chief Executive Officer of Happy Belly Food Group. We believe having a disciplined approach to growth by using both our corporate and franchised locations will establish Heal Wellness as the leading smoothie bowl brand in Canada." "Heal is building strong momentum, expanding its development pipeline with a consistent flow of franchise agreements and strategic real estate acquisitions nationwide. Striking the right balance between corporate and franchised locations remains a key metric as we grow our national footprint. Rapidly positioning itself as Canada's first genuine coast-to-coast smoothie bowl brand, Heal is gaining significant traction in emerging markets while cultivating loyal customers and enhancing brand awareness—reinforcing our long-term vision and the strength of our brand model." "We believe downtown Oakville, with its vibrant, health-conscious community and strong foot traffic from both residents and visitors will make this location a perfect fit for Heal. The surrounding area boasts a mix of upscale shops, cafes, and fitness studios that attract a demographic focused on wellness and nutritious lifestyle choices, perfectly aligning with the fresh and wholesome offerings of Heal's acai bowls and smoothies. Additionally, its picturesque lakeside setting and active outdoor culture encourage healthy eating habits, making it a natural fit for a health-focused quick-service restaurant. With excellent accessibility and a growing demand for convenient, nutritious options, downtown Oakville presents a prime opportunity for Heal to grow its customer base." To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: "Heal Wellness is rapidly gaining national brand recognition, establishing itself as Canada's first true coast-to-coast smoothie bowl brand as it gains traction across new markets, building customer loyalty and brand visibility at an impressive pace—further validating our long-term vision and the strength of our franchise model. With 195 units secured through national development agreements—Heal is delivering on its promise of scalable, asset-light expansion while deepening customer loyalty and market presence. Our progress reinforces our expansion strategy while generating long-term value creation for our shareholders." "The broader Happy Belly portfolio now boasts 616 contractually committed retail locations across various stages of development, construction, and operation. This momentum—fueled by a proven franchise model, experienced operators, and strategic site selection—is translating into meaningful and shareholder value. As we scale nationally with a repeatable, asset-light framework, we are laying the foundation for sustained and predictable growth across our entire brand ecosystem through 2026 and beyond." "We are just getting started," said Sean Black. About Heal Wellness Heal Wellness was founded with a passion and mission to provide quick, fresh wellness foods that support a busy and active lifestyle. We currently offer a diverse range of smoothie bowls and smoothies. We take pride in meticulously selecting every superfood ingredient on our menu to fuel the body, including acai smoothie bowls, smoothies, and super-seed grain bowls. Our smoothie bowls are crafted with real fruit and enriched with superfoods like acai, pitaya, goji berries, chia seeds, and more. Franchising For franchising inquiries please see or contact us at hello@ Happy Belly Food Group Inc. (CSE: HBFG) (OTCQB: HBFGF) ("Happy Belly" or the "Company") is a leader in acquiring and scaling emerging food brands across Canada. Happy Belly 3 To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: Sean Black Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer Shawn Moniz Co-Founder, Chief Operating Officer Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release, which has been prepared by management. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking information" with respect to the Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-Looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur and include the future performance of Happy Belly and her subsidiaries. Forward-Looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements. There are uncertainties inherent in forward-looking information, including factors beyond the Company's control. There are no assurances that the business plans for Happy Belly described in this news release will come into effect on the terms or time frame described herein. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. For a description of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company and its business and affairs, readers should refer to the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis and other disclosure filings with Canadian securities regulators, which are posted on
CTV News
2 hours ago
- CTV News
Ontario just shy of meeting target of four hours direct care for LTC residents
Ontario's Minister of Long-Term Care Natalia Kusendova-Bashta is seen at the Ontario Legislature in Toronto, on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young TORONTO — Ontario failed to meet its legislated target for getting long-term care residents an average of four hours a day of direct care by March of this year, the government concedes, though it came quite close. The Progressive Conservative government set the target aimed at boosting both the amount of direct care residents receive from nurses and personal support workers, as well as other health professionals such as physiotherapists, in a 2021 law. While the government met its interim targets in the following two years, starting at three hours of direct care, it did not reach the third-year or final targets, amid staffing challenges. In the last year, the average direct hours of nursing and PSW care in long-term care homes across the province was three hours and 49 minutes, or 95.5 per cent of that four-hour target, according to a report recently published by the Ministry of Long-Term Care, led by Minister Natalia Kusendova-Bashta. The province will continue trying to increase the amount of direct care residents receive, the government wrote in its report. 'This includes addressing the challenges that affect the government's ability to recruit and retain qualified care staff at a pace that keeps up with the need of the province's aging population,' the report said. 'These challenges are further compounded by the construction of a record number of new and upgraded long-term care beds, an important government priority that will require even more staff to meet demand.' Ontario is aiming to get 30,000 net new long-term care beds built by 2028. The head of the association representing Ontario's non-profit homes said ensuring an average of nearly four hours of daily direct care for residents is a great achievement. 'I think the fact that they almost reached the target is excellent news, because there's been a lot of challenges with health human resources in the health-care sector,' said Lisa Levin, CEO of AdvantAge Ontario. The programs the government has put in place to increase the numbers of nurses, PSWs and other health professionals — at a cost of $4.9 billion over four years, the government says — has been helping, Levin said. Where more work needs to be done to close that gap is likely in northern and rural regions, she said. '(It's) where we're hearing from our members that they're having the most difficulty and are more reliant on temporary staff,' Levin said. The government identifies 'recruiting and retaining staff in some rural and remote communities' in the report as one of the challenges it needs to address to further increase direct hours of care. As well, it says another difficulty is 'competition for existing and new staff from primary care, home care and hospitals.' AdvantAge Ontario and a coalition of eight other community health organizations have been urging the government to equalize pay within the sector so that health workers don't leave long-term care, for example, to get better pay doing the same work in hospitals. Levin and others have also been pushing the government to raise wages for registered practical nurses in order to help recruit and retain them. Personal support workers were given a $3-per-hour wage increase during the pandemic, and while that was a good move, it has left the RPNs who supervise them paid the same or even less, Levin said. Liberal long-term care critic Tyler Watt said it's great that the government is working on recruitment and retention strategies, but it should focus more on the retention side. 'I'm supportive and happy that the hours of direct care are going up, but there's still a lot that needs to be done to surpass that goal,' he said. 'We see a lot coming from the health minister and Premier (Doug) Ford about all these investments they're making into recruitment and training, again I applaud all of that … but they are severely lacking on any investments or initiatives to retain the current staff and expertise that are there.' In the 2021 law, Ontario also set a target of 36 minutes per day of care for residents by allied health professionals, such as physiotherapists and social workers, and that target was exceeded in all four years, the government report said, including reaching 45 minutes in the last year. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 13, 2025. Allison Jones, The Canadian Press
CBC
2 hours ago
- CBC
Manitoba was supposed to get 150 doctors from a recruitment firm. The province got 2
A staffing agency hired by Manitoba's former Progressive Conservative government on a promise to recruit 150 doctors to the province in fact only managed to bring only two. The two-year contract with Canadian Health Labs was initially hailed as a critical piece in Manitoba's efforts to find more doctors, particularly in rural and northern areas, where jobs are typically harder to fill. But the contract expired last month, after the current NDP government didn't exercise its option for a third year. It confirmed to Radio-Canada that only two doctors were recruited under the contract. The fact the company recruited just over one per cent of the 150 doctors promised is frustrating for Breanne Mueller, who has been looking for a family doctor in Steinbach for the 12 years she's lived there. "Where do they find these recruitment companies?" she asked. "Maybe start asking questions if you only have two doctors in two years. Something might be going on." Company under fire Canadian Health Labs, which started recruiting health-care professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic, has come under fire in the Atlantic provinces for charging a $300-plus hourly rate for agency nurses — six times what a staff nurse earns — and invoicing them for daily meal allowances despite telling the nurses to pay for their own food. In New Brunswick, the Vitalité Health Network has tried to get out of its deal with Canadian Health Labs by cancelling remaining shifts for the company's travel nurses before its contract expired in 2026. That province enacted legislation this year to shield the government from any legal or financial penalties regarding its contract, while Canadian Health Labs has responded with a lawsuit. Manitoba's deal with Canadian Health Labs, signed in July 2023 following a competitive request for proposals process, sought to bring 50 physicians to Winnipeg, 50 to northern Manitoba and 50 to other rural communities. When the deal was announced, then health minister Audrey Gordon said she was confident the staffing agency would meet its targets, with penalties in place if goals weren't achieved at certain stages. Eight months later, without a single physician recruited, the company told CBC News it had done a "significant amount of work" in recruiting family physicians to Manitoba. Shared Health, which oversees health-care delivery in the province, said at that point the province had "assigned dedicated recruiters in a number of countries." The province's contract with Canadian Health Labs was valued at up to $5.25 million, but Manitoba will only pay for the two physicians recruited — between $25,000 and $45,000 for each doctor, the government said in a statement. The company didn't answer repeated requests for comment from Radio-Canada. The two physicians recruited under the contract are originally from the United Kingdom and began their practices in Winnipeg. In 2023-24, Manitoba saw a net increase of 133 physicians — the largest on record, according to Doctors Manitoba — but a report from the advocacy group, citing Canadian Institute for Health Information data, said the province still ranks second-last among physicians per capita in Canada, with 219 physicians per 100,000 residents. Steinbach's Mueller said she enrolled in the province's family doctor finder program in 2013. She didn't hear back until 2021. "I was shocked when they [called], because I pretty much forgot that I was even on the list." They told her they still couldn't match her with a doctor, and then asked if she still wanted to be on the list. She removed herself because she believes the provincial program is ineffective. Instead, she's still calling Steinbach clinics whenever people tell her a doctor is accepting new patients. But whenever she calls, she's told they aren't accepting anybody else. "Something's gotta change," Mueller said. She would switch from her Winnipeg physician to one in Steinbach if she could, as any visit to see her doctor takes several hours, when accounting for travel time and the appointment itself. "This community, since I've been here, is just booming. It's crazy the amount of people" moving to Steinbach, a city of 17,000 people that's just over 50 kilometres from Winnipeg. "But the health care still remains the same, if not worse," she said. Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara's office, citing government statistics, said since the NDP government was elected in October 2023, 201 net new physicians have started practising in Manitoba, and an additional 12 have accepted an offer to work. The minister attributed some of this success to the government's new office focused on recruiting and retaining health-care workers. Worried for future shortages The net gain puts the NDP more than halfway toward its election promise of 400 additional physicians. Doctors Manitoba president Dr. Nichelle Desilets said that progress is appreciated, but "we can't rest on our laurels." "In 10 years, our elderly population is going to far exceed what it is right now and also require more health-care resources," she said. Desilets said the best recruitment strategy is an existing workforce of people who love their work and are supported. Progressive Conservative deputy leader Jeff Bereza said the province's deal with Canadian Health Labs "is yet another example of the NDP inheriting a successful PC program, and setting it up to fail." In a statement, Bereza compared the contract with the health-care recruitment mission to the Philippines and the surgical and diagnostic task force, both Tory government initiatives. "The NDP dismantled both and falsely claimed they didn't work. They didn't try," he said. "It's time for the NDP to stop blaming the PCs for their health-care failures, and start delivering on their election promises to Manitobans." Firm hired to recruit 150 doctors to Manitoba brought just 2 8 minutes ago The former Progressive Conservative government hired Canadian Health Labs in 2023 to bring 150 doctors to Manitoba over two years. The recruitment firm finished its work this summer, after bringing two doctors to the province.
