August 02, 2005
Hon. George Smitherman
Minister of Health and Long-Term Care
10th Floor, 80 Grosvenor Street
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 2C4
Hon. David Caplan
Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal
4th Floor, 777 Bay Street
Toronto, Ontario
M5G 2E5
Dear Minister Smitherman and Minister Caplan:
The McGuinty government has made it clear that it will take a more proactive approach in planning for growth in Ontario and ensuring that Ontarians can better access a local system of integrated health care services. For the many residents in high growth regions, accessing an appropriate range of health care and hospital services in their own communities is highly important.
By establishing population growth as a key criterion for identifying needed health infrastructure projects and for the upcoming hospital funding adjustment, your government is clearly demonstrating a commitment to better meet the needs of the residents in high growth regions of Ontario. The GTA/905 Healthcare Alliance fully supports your government in planning for growth as outlined in Places to Grow and in establishing coordinated local health care systems through “Local Health Integrated Networks (LHIN)”. The Alliance looks forward to supporting you with these large undertakings and celebrating your successes.
Given your government’s and your respective Ministry’s attentions to the issues of high population growth, the GTA/905 Healthcare Alliance would ask you to consider establishing a short-lived task force to develop a “Health Care Strategy for High Growth Communities”. Such a strategy is needed to cohesively address the intentions of “Places to Grow”, the implementation of the LHINs and other initiatives, doing so within the cost constrained environment in which we must all work.
The Alliance and its members would be happy to actively participate in the development of such a strategy, working with your respective ministries, LHIN leaders, and other stakeholders to develop a timely and practical solution.