RESOLUTION BY THE GTAH MAYORS AND CHAIRS

Whereas, local access to health care services is a priority for the three million residents living in the GTA/905 and key to maintaining vibrant, viable and healthy communities in the GTA/905:

Whereas the four GTA/905 regions of Halton, Peel, Durham and York continue to experience rapid population growth at twice the provincial rate and represent half the annual population growth in Ontario;

Whereas the funding gap for hospital services in the GTA/905 has widened since 2003 from $590 million to $740 million today on a regional basis and per capita funding for GTA/905 residents' hospital care is now $255 less than the provincial average compared to $229 per less resident in 2003;

Whereas, using new Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) boundaries, the per capita funding for GTA/905 residents' hospital care is now $164 less per resident compared to the provincial average and has widened from $146 less per person in 2003 which means that the funding gap for hospital services in the GTA/905 LHINs has widened from $540 million in 2003 to $665 million as of 2005;

Whereas GTA/905 residents continue to pay to the Ontario Government $570 million each year though the Provincial Health Care Tax meaning that the Ontario Government has the resources to invest in GTA/905 residents’ health care services;

Whereas the Government of Ontario’s Places to Grow plan speaks to building “complete communities” in Ontario’s high growth regions that will be “supported by modern, well maintained infrastructure built in accordance with a broad plan for growth…[with] residents having easy access to shelter, food, education and health care facilities…”;

Whereas  it will take three to seven years for recently approved hospital construction projects in the GTA/905 to begin to improve local access to hospital care in the GTA/905

Be it resolved that the Greater Toronto Area and Hamilton Mayors and Chairs Committee call on the Government of Ontario to:

a)      Follow through on their commitment to provide Growth Funding for Ontario hospitals and ensure that the growth funding is both adequate in size and is targeted to hospitals in high growth regions such as the GTA/905.

b)      Preserve the viability and capacity at all sites in high growth regions, especially those in smaller GTA/905 communities, in order  to meet health care needs due to current and future population growth in small GTA/905 communities by:

o        establishing provincial policies that make clear what range of hospital services are to be provided in small and rural hospitals, and

o        providing additional and adequate multi-site funding to multi-site hospitals

c)      Reinstate development charges for the building of hospitals;

d)      Develop a “Health Care Strategy for Ontario’s High Growth Region” using the GTA/905 Healthcare Alliances’ report, Places for Care as a starting point

e)      Approve the capital development projects for Ajax, Milton and Burlington hospitals