State of emergency continues in the Municipality of West Grey

WEST GREY, ON – The Municipality of West Grey remains in a state of emergency, following the reduction in emergency room hours, and the removal of all in-patient beds at the Durham Hospital by the South Bruce Grey Health Centre (SBGHC) earlier this year. 

As part of Council’s advocacy on behalf of the residents of West Grey, the Municipality has engaged legal counsel to request a judicial review of South Bruce Grey Health Centre’s decision to remove the 10 in-patient beds from Durham Hospital and has filed a motion requesting the return of the beds back to the Durham Hospital campus. In response, SBGHC has filed an order requesting that the courts dismiss the Municipality’s application for judicial review on the grounds that they are governed by an independent Board of Directors, who have full authority to make internal decisions on all hospital operations within their purview. The judicial review is scheduled to take place in Toronto in front of a 3-judge panel on November 13^th, 2024.

The Municipality of West Grey continues to engage with other communities across Ontario who are experiencing challenges with changes to the way healthcare is being delivered in small and rural communities across the province. Council is exploring ways to develop a collective voice for rural healthcare in Ontario, and bring forward shared concerns to other agencies whose role it is to advocate for healthcare in the province. 

On October 2^nd, 2024, the Ontario Health Coalition announced the launch of their two-month Trojan Horse Ontario Tour to fight privatization of hospital surgeries in Ontario by removing public funding and moving staff from public hospitals. The Trojan Horse Ontario Tour will make a stop at the Durham Town Hall on November 27, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. The Municipality encourages businesses and residents to attend this event and show their support for the continued operation of the Durham Hospital.

The Municipality’s Emergency Control Group meets regularly to monitor the situation and explore ways to advocate about the emerging healthcare crisis in West Grey as a result of South Bruce Grey Health Centre’s decision to reduce emergency room hours and remove all in-patient beds at the Durham Hospital without any prior consultation with the community and stakeholders.