Despite expansion, concerns persist for future of Lachine Hospital
Construction for a new building at the Lachine Hospital is in full swing. Last year, the project was set to include an emergency room, an intensive care unit and more operating rooms.
The emergency room at the Lachine Hospital is currently closed from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. and its ICU has been closed for years.
“They try to make it bigger, they want to make it state of the art, but they want to reduce some services which we cannot accept here in Lachine,” Enrico Ciccone, MNA for Marquette, said.
There are concerns that the original plans for the expansion could change.
Dr. Paul Saba says he’s heard officials want to turn Lachine Hospital into a mini emergency room. One that would only operate during the day.
“Study after study shows whenever you close a community emergency room you have increased deaths esp,ecially for time-sensitive illnesses like heart attacks,” Saba said.
Lachine’s mayor says she’s heard the MUHC was looking at turning the hospital into a long term care home for seniors.
“Not a real hospital. That was one of the options that they were looking at,” Maja Vodanovic said. “We're left in the dark and we approved plans for an emergency room, ICU, best quality equipment that we are working to fund. All of a sudden there could be an option that there will not be any emergency room.”
With emergency rooms overcrowded across the city, Saba feels the Lachine Hospital could help.
“The best care for life is to reopen the emergency room at Lachine 24/7 with ambulances. Any other solution is patch work,” he said.
A spokesperson for Quebec Health Minister Christian Dube says all options for the Lachine Hospital are on the table.
The MUHC says it will submit a decision about the hospital’s future to the health ministry by the end of April.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
'A huge difference': These adults born in the '90s partnered with their parents to buy homes in Ontario
An Ontario woman said it would have been impossible to buy a house without her mother – an anecdote that animates the fact that over 17 per cent of Canadian homeowners born in the ‘90s own their property with their parents, according to a new report.
OPINION No reunion between Prince Harry and the King signifies a setback for royal unity
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
How Drake and Kendrick Lamar's rap beef escalated within weeks
A long-simmering feud between hip-hop superstars Drake and Kendrick Lamar reached a boiling point in recent days as the pair traded increasingly personal insults on a succession of diss tracks. Here’s a quick overview of what’s behind the ongoing beef.
NEW For their protection, immigrants critical of China and India call for speedy passage of Canada's foreign interference legislation
Canadian immigrants threatened by hostile regimes are urging parliamentarians to quickly pass the 'Countering Foreign Interference Act' so they can feel safe living in their adopted home.
Ontario man devastated to learn $150,000 line of credit isn't insured after wife dies
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.
Spanish prosecutors recommend 2nd investigation into Shakira's taxes be thrown out
Spanish state prosecutors recommended Wednesday that an investigating judge shelve a probe into another alleged case of tax fraud by pop star Shakira.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.