Niagara Health presents plan for Port Colborne’s hospital

Niagara Health is asking Port Colborne’s city council to approve a plan for the city’s hospital, which is set to close in 2028.

The first part of the plan involves allowing primary care physicians to lease an empty section of the hospital to expand non-urgent care in the area and attract more doctors—something Niagara Health says is urgently needed.

“After-hours coverage, weekend coverage for a group-based primary care team, so patients can be seen when they’re ill but also by a team of people to keep them healthy and out of the hospital,” said Lynn Guerriero, a Niagara Health representative.

The proposed agreement would have Niagara Health lease part of the hospital to the City of Port Colborne, which would then lease it to doctors. The arrangement is not expected to cost the city any money.

“We’ve specifically designed this with the principle that no one would make money from the lease, but no one would lose money either,” Guerriero said.

Niagara Health plans to pull out of the Port Colborne hospital once the new South Niagara hospital is built in Niagara Falls, in approximately three years. However, they will offer the building and site to the city for a nominal purchase price of $2.

Mayor Bill Steele says that if the plan goes through, the doctors leasing the space would fill the urgent care gap.

“They would take over the urgent care center space and operate a walk-in clinic for both rostered and unrostered patients,” he said.

Niagara Health’s other request is for the city to contribute $6.2 million toward the construction of the new South Niagara hospital.

The city has decided to hold public consultations on both the $6.2 million contribution and the potential purchase of the hospital. Health care advocates are concerned about the closure of the Port Colborne and Fort Erie hospitals, as many residents would have to travel greater distances to access care.

Discussions on the lease agreement will continue on December 17th.