ORILLIA - It’s been a bleak few months in Orillia.
But, finally, the city — and its residents — got a little unexpected good news on Friday.
Premier Doug Ford was in Orillia to show support for one of the “hardest hit” regions of the province following last weekend’s vicious ice storm.
He was expected to rally the troops, offer support and bring some aid to a city reeling from a lengthy power outage and facing a lengthy recovery.
However, as jaws dropped among the local politicians surrounding him, Ford dropped a bombshell of sorts, saying Orillia would be getting a new hospital.
Officials at Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital (OSMH) have been working on plans to build a modern, new facility for a decade; it’s been talked about even longer. They are close to naming a new site, but they have been waiting on the OK from the province.
They got that Friday.
In response to questions about the threat posed by U.S. President Donald Trump and his controversial tariffs, Ontario’s premier said it was vital to “get people back on their feet.”
He said the province will do that by building “highways and roads, build the mines up north, our critical minerals, we have more than anywhere in the world.”
He also said it’s vital to build infrastructure, such as hospitals.
“Actually, right here in Orillia, too, they’re getting a new hospital ... Let’s move them forward,” said Ford.
It was quite unexpected, which was mirrored on the faces of politicians and civic officials on hand at Orillia’s fire station on Gill Street.
An hour or so later during a photo opportunity at the relief centre the city has established at the Orillia Recreation Centre, Ford conceded he let the announcement slip out.
“That kind of slipped out premature because I got a little excited,” he said while smiling among those congregated at the recreation facility on West Street.
“Let’s just go through the planning grants and everything and start moving as quickly as possible, making sure we have the site selection … but it is on the table.”
Orillia Mayor Don McIsaac said he was “thrilled” to hear the unexpected announcement.
“I think it’s wonderful news for Orillia,” said McIsaac, who publicly supported the premier’s campaign during the recent provincial election.
“I heard some rumblings from the premier before that this was going to happen and it’s going to happen, and he said it today and he sticks to his word.”
But he said the proof is in the pudding.
“The next thing is we got to get the cheque for the $10 million to get to Phase 2” of the process, said the mayor.
“We are looking forward to that day. Hopefully, it’s soon. I’ll volunteer to go to Toronto to pick it up if he wants me to. It’s a great day.”
Carmine Stumpo, the president and CEO of OSMH, agreed.
“We’re thrilled to move to the next step of the process,” he said while the premier glad-handed at the Orillia Recreation Centre.
“We know it takes time to build hospitals, but getting the acknowledgement that this community needs and deserves a new hospital is absolutely incredible.”
He conceded it won’t happen overnight; it could take 10 years. But it’s the green light they need to proceed.
“We can move forward with the next phases of planning, working with our community partners working within the hospital and outside the hospital, so it’s great news for Orillia and we look forward to hearing more about it,” said Stumpo.
“This is one step of the approval process, but it’s an important one. It allows us to do more detailed planning of hospital design, we’ll be able to announce our site selection and move forward so the community has a better sense of what the future of health care will be in Orillia.”
He said hospital staff and many others have been working hard to plant the seed for the need for a new hospital.
“We have been working very hard in advocacy, and the ministry and the government (have) acknowledged the need for a new hospital, so I’m very pleased to have heard the announcement from the premier today.”
— With files from John Hammill and Gisele Winton Sarvis