The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

15 · Friday, December 11, 2009 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.oakvillebeaver.com Hospital faces March deadline Heritage Life Style Home Furnishings Beautiful Solid Wood 60" Diameter Round Dining Table + 6 Genuine Leather Roll Back Chairs $ Continued from page 14 the new hospital offers hope to avoiding these types of situations. He said that with the doctor shortage in Ontario, every community is currently doing all it can to attract new physicians. The building of a state-of-the-art facility with the latest equipment where doctors can provide proper patient care will go a long way to bringing in those healthcare providers. Healey said Oakville's current hospital is not up to that task. "I have to admit to you that when I talk about the situation with the child in our department and the psychiatric room next door, I am a little embarrassed by the care I am providing, that I can't do better for those people," he said. "If we are going to attract new people we need this new facility. We need a facility that's very functional that doesn't just meet our needs, but has the ability to deal with what's coming in the future, an increasing population, more people in our department, an elderly population that needs more care." Doctor Bruce Gay, of OTMH's Cancer Clinic, noted the new hospital needs to be built right so cancer patients can be properly treated in Oakville and not sent to Hamilton or Toronto because the Oakville hospital lacks certain facilities or equipment. Gay said this is currently the case at OTMH for patients in need of chemotherapy or radiation treatment. "The year-long treatment where you have to travel to another community on a daily basis for radiation is very stressful especially for people with families or children to look after," said Gay. "Our goal is to have an oncology clinic at the hospital, so these people do not have to travel to get the treatment they deserve." While HHS noted public sessions about the new hospital have been held, Linda Jones of the citizen's group Concerned Citizens of Oakville and Halton For Community Healthcare say the ability to have questions asked and answered has been quite limited. "Will the people of Oakville really know the true costs and how their money will be spent? We believe that public disclosure needs to be happening now before this council commits taxpayer money to this project," said Jones. "Two hundred million dollars is a substantial tax, especially burdensome at a time when people are still suffering the effects of the recession. How do we even know the hospital corporation won't be coming back and asking for more?" In the end, council agreed, voting unanimously for public consultations to be held during the months of January and February. The deadline for HHS to secure funds for the new Oakville Hospital is not until March. The public consultation decision will go before Monday's council for final approval. 4599 $ Regular Unique Accent Pieces To Fit Every Decor · Buffets · Armoires · Side Boards Great selection of in-stock Dining Room Sets 2499 NOW IN-STOCK Beautiful Top Grain 100% Leather Sectional ALL IN-STOCK FROM $ 4205 Fairview Street, Burlington · 905.634.5298 Heritage Furniture 499 Regular $ 3699 NOW $ 2299 IN-STOCK OFFER Presented by Falun Dafa Association of Mississauga & NTDTV Canada