How to Help

Our cause depends on community involvement. Your participation is vital to saving South Muskoka Hospital. Help us protect and advance hospital care in South Muskoka for the future!

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Get Involved:

1. Sign up to receive our Newsletter (the “Lifeline”)
2. Read our Executive Bulletin and read our proposed changes that South Muskoka needs: See below – Tell your friends, family and neighbours about this cause
3. Show your support with signs: Lawn Signs, Window Signs or Car Signs! Free delivery across Muskoka!
4. Consider a Donation to our cause
5. Write to the Premier, the MPP, the Board of Directors of Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare (MAHC), the District Chair, and local elected officials and representatives.
   • See our list of requested actions below

Action from Local and Provincial Officials!

Requested Action by Board of Directors, Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare (MAHC)

• Formally reassess and modify as necessary the Made-in-Muskoka model to ensure balanced and equitable access to acute care, inpatient, emergency, and diagnostic services for South Muskoka patients.
• Publicly compare alternative service allocation models that maintain balanced hospital services at both sites.
• Formally reassess site selection (300 Pine Street) given identified remediation costs, access and egress concerns, restraints on growth and supporting infrastructure needs.
• Commission an independent review of the impacts of the proposed Made-in-Muskoka model on patient access, travel times, physician recruitment, health outcomes, and community needs.
• Establish a formal and ongoing engagement process with the SSMHC and other community stakeholders, including increased transparency and access to planning records to support meaningful consultation.
  
• Provide regular public updates on redevelopment planning and responses to community concerns.

Requested Action by Province

• Require greater transparency from MAHC regarding the review of the Made-in-Muskoka Functional Program;
• Independently assess whether the proposed bed counts and service levels are appropriate for South Muskoka given current and projected population and demographics, including seasonal resident and visitor pressures;
• Independently assess whether the site selection (300 Pine Street) is appropriate to support additional facility growth and is the responsible fiscal choice for taxpayers;
• Ensure that South Muskoka residents maintain equitable access to acute care services in South Muskoka; and
  
• Restore public confidence through meaningful oversight of local hospital governance and the current hospital redevelopment planning process, in particular.

Requested Action by Town and District Municipalities

• Pass resolutions supporting equitable access to hospital services for South Muskoka residents and requesting reconsideration of the current Made-in-Muskoka model to address community concerns.
• Advocate to MAHC and the Province for a balanced redevelopment plan that preserves meaningful hospital services in South Muskoka.
• Request an independent assessment of the impacts of the proposed model on accessibility, transportation, emergency response, and future growth.
• Provide a public assessment of “local share” funding conditions based on current model.
• Facilitate and ensure public discussions among municipalities, MAHC, provincial representatives, local healthcare providers and community stakeholders to identify solutions.
  
• Communicate community and stakeholder concerns directly to the Ministry of Health and local MPP.

Letters of Support – Template Letter (Download and Fill in!)

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Let Others Know – We Need Significant and Meaningful Changes to MAHC’s Plan!

• Increased Acute Care Beds in South Muskoka: Number of acute care beds at the future South Muskoka site to at least 60 beds
• Care Close to Home: elimination of mandatory transfer to the Huntsville site for any condition requiring six or more days of inpatient care
• Physician Recruitment and Retention: Input from local physicians must be obtained and respected in the planning process 
• Equitable allocation of ALC: Allocation of all ALC beds to Huntsville site is short-sighted relative to other concerns raised in this list
• Site Selection Re-evaluated: MAHC’s selected site in Bracebridge is a retired quarry, with identified poor soil conditions.  Remediation costs are grossly  unreasonable and this will also impact future expansion possibilities at this site
• Transportation Plan (for the Realities of Muskoka): Ontario Health must mandate MAHC to produce a workable transportation plan that reflects realities of life in Muskoka (i.e. remote communities with high levels of wealth inequality and lack of public transit) in order to support a primary hospital in the northern part of Muskoka away from the majority of the population
  
• Realistic Analysis and Further Public Consultation Concerning Transfer Rates to Huntsville Site: Additional disclosure, consultation and planning to address transfer rates between hospital sites for public’s awareness
   

Join Us

If you have experience in healthcare or are particularly driven by this cause to save South Muskoka Memorial Hospital, we want to hear from you! Please use the Contact Us button below and send us a message.

For any in the community who are concerned about this cause and who desire to participate with the SSMHC in events and receive the latest news from the SSMHC, we encourage you to sign up to our newsletter and to otherwise stay connected! Our cause is driven by engagement from the community. Thank you for your support.

Petitions

With your support, the Save South Muskoka Hospital Committee obtained over 14,000 signatures from concerned citizens concerning the South Muskoka Memorial Hospital redevelopment.

A petition was presented to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario and to the Committee of the Whole of the District Municipality of Muskoka.

There are no active petitions currently.

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Second Petition to District of Muskoka regarding Local Share Funding

This Petition is now completed and was submitted to the Council of the District of Muskoka.

WHEREAS, A resolution by the District Council that was Moved, Seconded and Carried on September 21, 2015 ENDORSING Resolutions by the towns of Huntsville and Bracebridge to petition the Province of Ontario to ensure that a full range of core hospital services, including acute care inpatient, emergency, diagnostic and surgical services, are MAINTAINED on a multi-site basis at BOTH the South Muskoka Memorial Hospital and the Huntsville District Memorial Hospital;

AND WHEREAS MAHC has received a commitment for funding based on that Resolution

We the undersigned Petition the District Municipality of Muskoka and their Townships / Towns to pass a motion that they will not vary from the Resolution #158/2015 ENDORSED AND PASSED on September 21, 2015 and will hold any funding commitment until that Resolution is fulfilled.

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First Petition to Ontario Legislature regarding MAHC Board

This petition is completed and submitted to the legislature. Over 7,500 signatures were received on this petition.

To The Legislative Assembly of Ontario:
WHEREAS, Muskoka Algonquin Health Care Board of Directors appoints all members of their Board of Directors and since there is no democratic selection to the Board by our local communities, and

WHERAS Muskoka Algonquin Health Care Board has decided to change South Muskoka Hospital into what we see as a temporary Emergency Rest Stop with reduced general hospital beds and services in South Muskoka despite that South Muskoka Memorial Hospital has had 35% more inpatient days and 12% more admissions over the past 5 years than Huntsville District Memorial Hospital, the Board suggests that Huntsville’s hospital should increase in beds and services by more than 153% despite greater demand in South Muskoka and

WHEREAS a move to make such a change will cause health, economic and social strife for South Muskoka’s communities,

WE the undersigned petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to unanimously agree to:
1. disregard any suggestion or applications by the current Board of Directors to the Ministry of Health for any changes to hospital services at Muskoka Algonquin Health Care and
2. allow the community to choose their Board of Directors in a democratic fashion or dissolve Muskoka Algonquin Health Care and return to 2 Boards chosen by residents that will work toward sharing services to reduce costs of having 2 hospitals.

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We wish to give thanks to the businesses below who have hosted our petitions.

Port Carling
Apothecary
Food Land

Bala
Pharmasave
Pizza Nova
Hook and Ladder Restaurant
Foodland

Torrance
Clear Lake Brewing

Gravenhurst
Terry’s Your Independent Grocer
Currie’s Music
Bethune Variety
Seniors Centre
South Muskoka Healthcare
Rombos Restaurant
Home Hardware
Anne’s Variety
Mighty Mary
Chamberlain Timber Mart

Bracebridge
Big River Bakery
Anglican Church
Classy Cuts
Seniors Centre
Cottage Winery
Natural Food Store
Rene’s Barber Shop
Majestic Hair style
Annex
Owl & Pen Book Store
Independent Grocers
Mark’s Work Warehouse
Medical Arts Building
Fabricare
Bracebridge Medical
Laundromat
Muskoka Lumber
Dr. Stuart Robson, Dentist
Homestyle Cafe
Kurtz Restaurant
Muskoka Chrysler
Greavette GM
Hammond Transportation
Kabota North

Baysville
The Fuel Emporium XTR gas
Groovys Cannabis

Port Sydney
Fresh Mart
Dean’s Home Hardware

Windermere
Windermere Corners Gas Station

Bent River
Bent River General Store

Rosseau
Rosseau General Store

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