TO THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO:

WHEREAS the Niagara Health System reduced overnight service hours at Urgent Care Centre’s in Fort Erie and Port Colborne starting July 5^th, 2023;

WHEREAS the current Niagara Health System restructuring plan approved by the Ontario Ministry of Health does not include Port Colborne Urgent Care Centre, creating inequity of healthcare services in South Niagara;

WHEREAS the NHS is already experiencing a 9-1-1 crises in EMS, a shortage of beds and unacceptable offloading delays in its emergency departments across the region;

WHEREAS the population in the Port Colborne Urgent Care catchment area is both aging and growing;

WHEREAS the Ontario Legislature passed Motion 47 from the 42^nd Parliament by Niagara Centre MPP Jeff Burch on April 13, 2022 to provide a firm funding commitment and clear timeline for capital and operational support of the Niagara Health system as part of an overall effort to serve the growing population of the region, increase hospital capacity, create jobs and offer the important, high-level front-line services to people of Niagara in need;

WE THE UNDERSIGNED PETITION THE Legislative Assembly as follows: to work with the Ontario Ministry of Health and the Niagara Health System to ensure 24 hour services are maintained at the Port Colborne Urgent Care Centre: