Beaver THE OAKVILLE Voted Ontario's Top Newspaper Four Years in a Row - 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com Raiders aim to win Sports WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3, 2010 30% OFF WINTER CLOTHING 3-334 Lakeshore Rd East, Oakville P. 905.842.2756 A member of Metroland Media Group Ltd. Vol. 48 No. 21 "USING COMMUNICATION TO BUILD BETTER COMMUNITIES" 68 Pages $1.00 (plus GST) Town gets more time to decide hospital deal By David Lea OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF NIKKI WESLEY / OAKVILLE BEAVER IS ANYONE LISTENING?: According to the organizers, about 2,500 people registered with Citizens for Clean Air (C4CA) to attend the rally at Queen's Park Tuesday to oppose construction of a 900-megawatt, natural gas-fueled power plant by TransCanada in southeast Oakville. Two thousand-plus join protest By David Lea OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF About 2,500 residents from Oakville, Mississauga and beyond blasted Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty Tuesday at a Queen's Park protest of the 900-megawatt, gas-fired power plant proposed for the Ford-owned lands at 1500 Royal Windsor Dr. In a demonstration many are hoping the Legislature found impossible to ignore, participants blasted air horns, beat drums, rang cow bells and shouted chants such as Citizens for Clean Air's (C4CA) rallying cry of `It's not fair, we want clean air.' Other residents waved a forest of placards, which attacked the power plant on a number of issues. Some placards, calling for a stop to power plants near homes and schools, illustrated residents' concerns over the proposed plant being established less than 400 metres away from the nearest residential area. Another placard, displaying a woman wearing a respirator, showed the health concerns residents have over the plant's emissions. See Signs page 5 He asked the Province for more time to consider the issues surrounding the funding of Oakville's new hospital. Now Oakville Mayor Rob Burton has that time, provided council wants to take advantage of it. Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn announced during Monday night's Town council meeting that Oakville can take until April 24 to decide whether it will agree to a $200-million funding request from Halton Healthcare Services (HHS) to help fund the new Oakville hospital, which is planned for the corner of Third Line and Dundas Street. Council had been expected to make a decision Monday, but Burton asked for three additional months. He said lack of information about what the $200 million is actually paying for made a deferral of the issue essential. The deadline has since been clarified as April 24 with Flynn saying this is the latest the decision can be put off without disrupting the process of finding a consortium to build the hospital. "That will give you between six and eight weeks from this day forward to have that full consultation that will help clarify some of the See Hospital page 3 No Pay for 6 months and Huge Rebates PLUS We guarantee your valuable Manufacturer and Government Rebates and take care of the Paperwork for you. For Deadlines and Complete Details call 905-844-2949 Ask about our excellent Financing and Great Terms. SHUTTERS · Customer Satisfaction Guaranteed · Serving Oakville with Shop at Home Service · Wood & Vinyl Shutters, Supplied & Installed · High Quality at Affordable Prices C ALIFORNIA & PLANTATION SHUTTERS ETC. 905.691.4455 www.shuttersetc.ca Authorized Eclipse Shutters Dealer Shop at Home Service FREE