MAHC Hospital Redevelopment Plan Must be Subject to Public Accountability

The Save South Muskoka Hospital Committee (SSMHC) writes in full support of the recent effort by municipal elected representatives and officials to subject the MAHC hospital redevelopment plan to further public accountability through the Town of Bracebridge and the District of  Muskoka. Particularly, given the substantial local municipal tax dollars presently allotted to the hospital redevelopment, community support through our municipal elected officials is prudent  and an essential prerequisite to any redevelopment plan proceeding. 

Local Share Funding Must Be Subject to Public Accountability 

The “local share” financial commitments amassed for the MAHC Made in Muskoka  redevelopment model total a staggering $225 Million.1 Hospital redevelopments in the  province turn on, in part, local share funding.2 While provincial dollars are a significant source of the redevelopment cost, the local and seasonal residents are funders of the hospital redevelopment and we have every right to a say.3 

The municipal funding commitments in Muskoka were provided to MAHC before the currently  proposed Made in Muskoka model was known. It is reasonable that the public, and in turn, our municipal representatives, should request that the local share funding commitments be subject to proper public accountability. The urgency and need for this accountability results from MAHC’s failure and refusal to apply any notion of respectful and fair treatment in its dealings with the public. For example, the sudden agenda and Board decision to advance the current model on July 2, 2024 caught many by surprise. It has resulted in a clear sense that the hallmarks of fair dealing, such as advance notice, are absent and of little concern with MAHC.  

SSMHC acknowledges recent discussions of the MAHC model at the council table: there is a forthcoming District of Muskoka discussion on Monday, July 15, 2024 and the Town of  Bracebridge has dealt with this issue in its Planning Committee meeting of July 3, 2024 and Town Council meeting of July 10, 2024.4 SSMHC endorses the following conditions as material to the extension of any local share funds: 

  • That the Made in Muskoka Healthcare system be anchored by two, new, state-of-the-art  acute care hospitals that will serve the entire region and communities around the  District such as Almaguin and East Parry Sound; 
  • That the concerns of healthcare professionals be adequately addressed through two  separate consensus resolutions of medical doctors who are accredited and practice  predominately at either the Bracebridge or Huntsville site, each site with a distinct  voice;5 and 
  • That there be an equitable distribution of acute care beds between the Huntsville and  Bracebridge sites relative to local population in the catchment area of each hospital  location 

Bed Counts Matter 

SSMHC asserts that the number of acute care beds at each hospital site do matter. Acute care beds provide for the long-term sustainability of hospital sites. Throughout Ontario, smaller hospitals struggle to survive in the regional model. SSMHC is advocating for a Bracebridge hospital site that is viable over the long term, including sufficient acute care services in order to  recruit and retain specialists and surgeons to the Bracebridge site. Without this, the Bracebridge site could be subject to failure without primary, emergency care or robust specialist support. SSMHC does not support the assumptions proposed by MAHC that doctor recruitment or retention is not impacted by bed count.  

Disappointment with Town of Huntsville Council Support 

SSMHC is aware that MAHC obtained support from the General Committee of the Town of Huntsville on June 26, 2024. While SSMHC is disappointed in this result, we are aware of many citizens in Huntsville and surrounding areas who are concerned about the implications for healthcare resulting from the Made in Muskoka model. The reality is that the discussion in north Muskoka is different than the discussion in south Muskoka because the current model does not present the same challenges in each part of the region. However, SSMHC encourages that a broad Muskoka solution that is appropriate for all communities as supported by the public and local medical professionals is the right path forward. SSMHC has endorsed, “Keep the Promise” as a key slogan which refers to the previous commitments made by the Town of  Huntsville, the Town of Bracebridge and others for two acute care hospital sites in Muskoka.6  

Responsibility of MAHC to Share Information for Detailed Input  

SSMHC has also heard recent criticism from representatives of MAHC about the lack of quality in the feedback received. Specifically, that the type of feedback on the model is not sufficiently fact based.  

MAHC is not entitled to be so critical of the public’s feedback and commentary. MAHC alone  has the responsibility to provide quality and local healthcare to the community through the  redevelopment model. If MAHC is asking for detailed feedback, then SSMHC again calls on  MAHC to voluntarily share information concerning the metrics, assumptions and particulars supporting its modelling for the Made in Muskoka approach. SSMHC also calls on MAHC to produce its study with respect to the medical doctors’ “Care Closer to Home” model so that SSMHC can understand the alleged $700M increase associated with that model.  

SSMHC has produced several insightful and impactful reports on its position concerning the substance of healthcare delivery in Muskoka. We would encourage feedback from MAHC on these position statements which has not yet occurred. SSMHC will continue to engage on the substance of the redevelopment plans because we have to. We have a hospital board that is seemingly more annoyed by the prospect of public feedback than interested in fostering an actual culture of engagement. The public sees it plainly. This is no model for success.  

MAHC cannot ignore public accountability. Bravo to our municipal elected representatives and officials at the Town of Bracebridge and the District of Muskoka who are ensuring the  appropriate public accountability over this process, now and going forward. SSMHC will  continue to provide reliable substantive information and grassroots support on this important cause. 

APPENDIX 

Reference: Local Share Contributions (as of October 2023)7 

  • $77.3 million from the District of Muskoka 
  • $38.2 million from Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare 
  • $35 million from the Huntsville Hospital Foundation 
  • $35 million from the South Muskoka Hospital Foundation 
  • $10 million from the Town of Bracebridge 
  • $10 million from the Town of Huntsville 
  • $9.5 million from the municipalities of Almaguin Highlands (East Parry Sound)
  • $1 million from the Town of Gravenhurst 

About Save South Muskoka Hospital Committee: 

The Save South Muskoka Hospital Committee is a grassroots non-profit corporation dedicated to advocating for two mid-sized hospitals in both South Muskoka and Huntsville. The SSMHC  tagline, “Keep the Promise!” refers to the commitments made by the District of Muskoka, the Town of Huntsville, the Town of Bracebridge, and from MAHC to the people of Muskoka to pursue the strategy for healthcare at two acute care sites in Muskoka.  

SSMHC membership is open to grassroots community members who are passionate about  advocating for local, accessible, equitable and high-quality healthcare delivery at two acute care hospital sites. 

To get involved, show support or learn more:  

1 Refer to the Appendix for the breakdown of local share contributions as of October 2023. 

2 Ontario Health. Hospital Capital Planning and Policy Manual.  https://www.ontariohealth.ca/sites/ontariohealth/files/2022-12/HospitalCapitalPlanningAndPolicyManual-EN.pdf 

3SSMHC has over 4,000 signatures on a petition calling on the District of Muskoka to withhold the local share  funding until District Motion 158/2015 (September 21, 2015), calling on two acute care hospital sites in Muskoka is  fully supported through the redevelopment plan.

4 Related, the SSMHC has made delegations to the following Municipal Councils: Bracebridge (July 10, 2024),  Muskoka Lakes (June 12, 2024), Gravenhurst (June 18, 2024), District of Muskoka (May 23, 2024)

5I.e. determined as a medical doctor who practices greater than 60% of their time at a particular MAHC hospital site

6 Town of Huntsville, Resolution 194-15 (June 22, 2015); Town of Bracebridge, Resolution (June 24, 2015); District of  Muskoka, Motion 158/2015 (September 21, 2015)  7 https://www.mahc.ca/en/news/local-share-financing-plan-achieved-for-hospital-redevelopment.aspx