Residents want more information on the actual costs of funding the proposed new hospital Oakville, February 24, 2010 - For immediate release

Mayor Rob Burton has called on Minister of Health and Long-term Care Deb Matthews and Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Brad Duguid to give Council more time to consider Halton Healthcare Services' request for a contribution of $200 million dollars toward the local share costs of the proposed new Oakville hospital. The proposed new hospital would be the first to be built under the province's new guidelines, and the Mayor argues the costs are simply too high to put on local tax bills.
"I want a new hospital for our community as much as anyone and I am prepared to consider a reasonable level of municipal funding," Mayor Burton said. "But I can't accept that this Council has to make a decision to commit $200 million dollars plus unknown interest charges without access to full costing information and without any certainty of terms. Local government cannot afford to conduct its business this way when we know these costs will be borne by our taxpayers."
Mayor Burton noted that he had heard from hundreds of residents since the town began its public consultation process in January, and has met extensively with community and business leaders. He says the message has been: "Be careful how you spend our money because we are going to be paying for this hospital for a very long time."
"I am really concerned that Council and staff can't even answer the public's questions about the costs because final costs haven't yet been determined. That is a serious flaw in the province's funding process."
The Mayor also noted that this issue is resonating with mayors from across Ontario as local governments are being asked to pay a higher and higher cost for health care. 
"When I spoke to my colleagues in other communities they couldn't believe what we are being asked to pay," he said.
The Mayor acknowledged that the provincial government is committing significant money to the proposed hospital, but said he wants to sit down with provincial officials to discuss how costs were determined.
"We owe it to the residents of Oakville who would be facing annual property tax increases for the next 30 years to pay for this hospital to take a little bit more time to make sure we reach a fair solution."
Town staff will report to Council on the results of the public consultation on Monday, March 1, 2010.