The quest to fund an expansion at the Bonnyville Covenant Health Centre was one of the many topics brought to the forefront by Town of Bonnyville officials at the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA) conference last month in Calgary.
Councilors from the Town posed a series of questions to high-ranking provincial ministers, inquiring about the possibility of getting funding for the wide-ranging deficiencies at the local hospital.
“Spin around in any direction and you will see the need for more room,” said Mayor Gene Sobolewksi, referring to the local health centre.
A report released back in 2005 stated that Bonnyville had outgrown its current hospital building and was in need of an expansion. Now, ten years later, that need has only increased.
“The seriousness of it is the fact that we have outgrown the space,” said Sobolewksi. “It is just simply too small and that was recognized in 2005, so lets get back on that list and lets get moving forward.”
According to Sobolewski, local councilors had very productive meetings with the Minister of Municipal Affairs, Minister of Transportation and Minister of Health.
During several of these meetings Sobolewski asked the question about the possibility of receiving funding for the local hospital.
“The message (back) was very positive in terms of them being able to find funding and moving in a different direction for infrastructure upgrades,” said Sobolewksi.
Premier Rachel Notely and Minister of Municipal Affairs Deron Bilous took time to address a large group of municipal politicians at the AUMA bringing home the point that infrastructure will be funded.
“Their main message was being able to move forward, particularly with the infrastructure debt caused by the previous (PC government),” said Sobolewksi. “Every time the (PC government) turned around there was no money for infrastructure and that debt was being shouldered by municipalities.”
Both Bilous and Notley made promises to those in attendance that infrastructure funding would be a large part of the upcoming budget and Bonnyville is hoping some of that money might be allocated for the local hospital.
One of their most productive meetings was with Sarah Hoffman, the Minister of Health. Council was able bring up the struggles with rural ambulance services and the need for a hospital expansion.
They were scheduled for a 20-minute meeting with Hoffman but ended up having their discussion exceed 30 minutes.
“We are supposed to have a regional voice. The issues is the inherent obstacles being put up by Alberta Health Services,” said Sobolewksi.
He added, “We may have a voice but we are not being listened to. Even to have a sounding board, we are not able to make the contacts. It is fairly one-sided.”
Local doctor Hercu van der Watt accompanied Council to the meeting with Hoffman and was able to offer a first hand account of the struggles currently being dealt with at the Bonnyville Covenant Health Centre.
Van der Watt and the local Councilors were able to make a convincing argument for the needs in this area and are set to continue dialogue in the future.
“I made an very impassioned plea with her to convince AHS to start freeing up some funding for our EMS and for some of the work we need to continue doing in our hospital, not only from a physical perspective but also providing our physicians with the tools and resources they need.”
