Regional mega-hospital gets overwhelming support, MPP says

A task force created to study the idea of a "mega-hospital" for the Windsor-Essex region will release its final report Friday at 11 a.m.

CBC News has learned the facility is getting overwhelming community and political support.

The task force, comprised of current and former local politicians, is steering clear of calling it a "mega hospital." But members of the group tell CBC News they heard loud and clear during an eight-month consultation process that people favour a new single hospital for the region.

Windsor West Liberal MPP Teresa Piruzza, who is part of the task force, said the report will be reviewed by Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan and Health Minister Deb Mathews.

"I have to say, we're one of the only communities that has had this pre-consultation or pre-discussion before a decision was made in terms of what a community was going to do," Piruzza said. "So if anything, I think we're ahead; that we have gathered this much information even before there is consideration."

Piruzza said stakeholders are convinced a new single-site acute-care hospital is needed to serve the region's residents into the future.

"If anything ... it's been a great opportunity to speak to a number of people and to really learn about not only hospital services and hospital programming but also health care in our community," Piruzza said.

The task force also recommends Windsor's two existing hospitals be "reused" in some capacity as part of the health-care system.

The group's mandate did not include finding a site for a proposed new hospital. That would be part of the next step should the government move forward on such a multi-million-dollar project.