Mayor Roy has issued the following statement on the launch of a new advocacy campaign:

Today, we launched the next step in our advocacy to bring a new hospital to Durham Region.

January 2024 marked two years since Lakeridge Health’s independent panel of experts announced land in Whitby as the preferred site for a new Durham hospital to be located.

For two years, we have waited patiently for the Province to approve a $3 million capital planning grant for Lakeridge Health and complete the land disposition process for the hospital site.

These are the only roadblocks standing in the way of moving this hospital forward.

Durham is one of the fastest-growing communities in Canada.

The region’s current hospital system can’t keep up with demand -- what will happen when Durham’s population climbs to over one million people?

Our residents face overwhelming waits in the emergency department or to be admitted to the hospital. When seconds count, Toronto and Kingston are the only options for Durham residents who need trauma care.

We need more care closer to home, and we can’t wait any longer.

That’s why I’m asking residents to speak out and join our advocacy efforts.

Go to whitby.ca/NewHospital to send a message to the Province about why healthcare close to home and a new hospital in Durham, matter to you.

All messages will be emailed directly to the Premier to highlight why this hospital matters – now.

For media inquiries, contact:

Jillian Follert
Public Affairs Coordinator, Office of the Mayor, Town of Whitby
Phone: 289.387.9101
Email: follertj@whitby.ca

Erin Mikaluk
Manager, Communications and Creative Services, Town of Whitby
Phone: 289.314.6913
Email: mikaluke@whitby.ca

Background Information

Advocating to Bring Care Closer to Home Through a New Hospital in Durham

The Province of Ontario first recommended a new acute care hospital for Durham Region in 2015, recognizing the significant, rapid, and continued growth expected in the area.

The Current Status of the New Hospital for Durham

• Two years ago, in January 2022 – following a transparent, two-stage site selection process – Lakeridge Health announced lands in Whitby as the preferred site for a proposed new hospital for Durham Region. 
• Since then, there has been zero action from the Ontario government on the $3 million Planning Grant and land commitment required to move this project forward.
• The Town of Whitby is advocating for provincial support in the process to bring a new hospital to this site in Whitby to provide critical health care closer to home for all Durham residents.

The Site

• The preferred site selected by Lakeridge Health for the new hospital is located south of Highway 407, west of Highway 412, east of Lake Ridge Road and north of Highway 7/Winchester Road located in Whitby.
• The land is currently owned by the Ministry of Transportation. 
• The Whitby site was chosen because it is centrally located in the heart of Durham, less than 1 kilometre from three 400-series on ramps and three 400-series off ramps – critically important for what will be the only trauma centre between Toronto and Kingston.

The Site Selection Process

• Lakeridge Health began their site selection process for the new hospital in 2021.
• This process was overseen by a fairness advisor and involved an independent, non-partisan expert panel with no connections to the region to ensure objectivity.
• Lakeridge Health submitted a $3M Planning Grant request to the Ministry of Health in Spring 2022 – this grant is a critical next step to move the project forward. Two provincial budgets have now been tabled without funding for this grant.
• The Ministry of Transportation and the Town of Whitby have been working on the land disposition process since 2021. The allocation of this land aligns with the Ministry mandate letters.

Why It Matters

• The current Lakeridge Health hospital system can’t keep up with current demand and this will only increase as the community grows.
• Durham is one of the fastest growing region in Canada, with a population expected to be over one million people in less than 20 years. Almost one third of the population is expected to be seniors aged 65 and older who will require more, and increasingly complex, care.
• By 2041, Lakeridge Health will need 1,793 beds. That’s more than double the current count.
• The Province of Ontario requires every municipality to build a minimum number of homes to support population growth. The Town of Whitby has committed to partnering with the Province to support the construction of 18,000 new homes in Whitby by 2031. More healthcare infrastructure is needed to support this growth.
• There is a gap in critical care in areas of high growth. The map below shows the location of the Whitby site depicted with the green dot. The red crosses depict the location of existing acute care hospitals in and near Durham. The red circles represent a 15-minute travel time to each hospital. The light orange shaded areas show approved areas of growth within the Durham Official Plan.