In 2023, the Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare Centre (MAHC) announced the development of two new hospitals in south Muskoka in an effort to increase healthcare infrastructure in the key communities of Huntsville and Bracebridge. Planning talks have persisted into 2024 with many back-and-forth discussions with the public that have, at times, turned controversial. New reports have come out detailing community concerns regarding the planned number of beds and the local share of funding.
The grassroots advocacy group, Save South Muskoka Hospital, has argued that the plans for the new Bracebridge hospital do not meet the needs of the growing community. Initially, MAHC proposed only 14 acute care beds at the new hospital, which community groups argued was a 46 per cent reduction from current inpatient facilities. Eventually, MAHC committed to increasing that number to 36 beds and has recently suggested adding ten more acute care beds to the new Bracebridge hospital.
MAHC has formally made the decision to move forward with its Made In Muskoka model for the new hospitals, which will transition healthcare in south Muskoka from a local-based system to regional-based. As a result, some key services provided at the Bracebridge hospital will be moving to Huntsville, and vice versa, which may hinder local residents’ access to quality care.
Bracebridge, Gravenhurst, and Huntsville have a monetary stake in the new hospital development and are expected to cover some of the equipment and furnishing costs as part of the local share of funding. The recently proposed ten new beds could increase costs by $40–$50 million and an additional $10 million could be added to the local share. The question of who will fund the new beds has been put to the MAHC board, but stakeholders have been told they may need to wait until the new year for a final decision.
The District of Muskoka endorsed the MAHC’s plan for the new hospitals during its October 21st monthly meeting. However, at the same meeting, councillors decided not to approve the $77 million of funding for their part of the local share that was previously committed. The District has decided to put the money on hold until they receive a final draft of the MAHC’s development plan. MAHC must now create a comprehensive plan that outlines future service volumes, models of care, and space requirements for the new hospitals.
In light of these funding challenges, in September, the town of Bracebridge decided to launch a third-party review of the MAHC’s proposed plans. The town has endorsed the MAHC’s decision to add ten new beds, but at the same time, it has expressed concern over funding and the potential impacts on ratepayers and tax-payers in the community. The review, to be completed by Medcura Health in October, will analyze the merits of the MAHC’s capital development plan and funding structure for the new hospitals.
Residents and cottagers of Bracebridge can expect an update on the third-party review in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, the MAHC is expected to send its plans to the provincial Ministry of Health next month for review and approval.
What is the background on the new hospitals?
MAHC will provide necessary upgrades to the existing Huntsville District Memorial Hospital and the South Muskoka Memorial Hospital in Bracebridge. Both current hospitals have been in operation for about fifty years and are in need of infrastructure improvements to meet modern community needs.
The planning process for the two new hospitals has been ongoing for years but is now in the developmental stages. The new hospital will be built upon the existing Memorial Hospital site in Huntsville. In Bracebridge, sites are being surveyed to build on new land, and planners have narrowed it down to three possible locations. Important factors in determining location are proximity to Highway 11, access to public transportation, availability of municipal services, and consideration of seasonal residents and cottage owners.
What will the hospitals cost?
The Ministry of Health for the province of Ontario is expected to cover up to 90 per cent of all construction and ancillary costs for the new hospitals. However, the communities themselves are expected to cover 100 per cent of all equipment and furnishing expenses as well as some additional expenses as part of the local share.
“This is a tremendous cost,” says Mayor Nancy Alcock of Huntsville. “But we can do it. And we already have two hospital foundations that have raised money from the community for the new sites.” The Huntsville branch of Scotiabank has even donated $100,000 to the hospital fund. You can find more information on becoming a donor here.
Equipment costs for the new hospitals are estimated to reach $25 million. Mayor Alcock says that municipalities within south Muskoka will continue advocating to the province for more funding. “First and foremost, we are really thankful that the province recognized the need for two hospitals here,” says Mayor Alcock. “We worked hard to keep both hospitals in Huntsville and Bracebridge. Money can’t come before this.”
New hospitals may help local economy
MAHC President and CEO Cheryl Harrison also adds that “the existing hospitals will be transferring over as much of the equipment and furniture as they are able to in order to minimize the impact.” The new hospitals will bring needed jobs into these communities, with job growth expected in both construction and hospital staff. “There will be a large number of construction jobs for the 2-3 year construction period at each site,” says Harrison. “In addition, each hospital will be planned with more beds than we presently have, which means there will be expanded staffing.”
This is good news for an ongoing shortage of doctors and nurses in Northern Ontario. There is a deficit of 350 doctors, nurses, specialists, pediatricians, and anesthesiologists in the region, up from 325 in 2022. A similar trend is taking place across Canada, highlighting the need for better access to healthcare and better recruitment strategies for healthcare professionals in rural and remote communities.
MAHC hosted public information sessions for the two new hospitals at virtual and in-person meetings in January. More information sessions are scheduled for April 17-22 not only for Bracebridge and Huntsville residents, but also for people from Gravenhurst, Port Carling, and Burk’s Falls. “All communities in south Muskoka have a stake in this,” Mayor Alcock says. “People are excited. They’re nervous about the costs, but they are mostly excited and they want this to succeed.”
“Nearly 500 people joined us at open houses in January, and generally, there is enthusiasm for new hospitals to become a reality in Muskoka,” says Harrison. “The new facilities will allow us to meet building codes and provide an environment that is better suited to staff to deliver care and to the patients who receive it. They will have a better design for efficient flow of services, including diagnostic and care delivery equipment.”
Cottage owners in south Muskoka stand to benefit from this too. Since the start of the pandemic, cottage country populations have been booming, and there has been some lag between the growing demands of the community and infrastructure development. Investing in and building new facilities is fundamental to meeting the modern needs of residents and cottage owners and updating existing services.
For cottagers concerned about what might happen if they ever experienced an emergency while alone at the cottage, the new hospitals come as welcomed news. Infrastructure improvements in the area could lead to better access to paramedics and other emergency response teams. This, in turn, will lead to faster and more effective healthcare for both local and seasonal residents alike.
This article has been updated to clarify that key services will also be moving to Bracebridge from Huntsville and that the third-party review was commissioned by the town of Bracebridge to be completed by Medcura Health in October 2024. The update also includes clarification that Bracebridge, Gravenhurst, and Huntsville will share funding responsibilities.
This article was originally published in April 2023 but was updated in October 2024 due to the release of new information about the MAHC’s proposed plan, funding changes, and community concerns.
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