Brampton's healthcare needs were blanketed in a false sense of security, Tuesday, Nov. 14, when Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath’s motion calling on the Liberal government to allocate $30.2 million investment to meet the existing funding gap passed with unanimous support of the house.

Then today, Wednesday, Nov. 15 when it came to walking the talk, the Liberals back-pedaled.

“This is a horrible disappointment for patients and families in Brampton,” said Horwath. “Yesterday (Tuesday, Nov. 14), Kathleen Wynne and her Liberals stood and voted in favour of an additional $30.2 million to deal with immediate overcrowding and open two mothballed operating rooms. But today, they claim they’re already doing enough, and it sounds like they won’t be coming through with that money at all. We can’t let Wynne and the Liberals keep letting patients down like this.”

Horwath — who has fiercely championed on behalf of Bramptonians on hospital overcrowding — in her motion called on the ruling Liberals to invest much-needed funds toward William Osler Health Centre (Osler)-run BCH and Peel Memorial Centre for Integrated Health and Wellness (Peel Memorial).

“Yesterday (Tuesday, Nov. 14), Kathleen Wynne and her Liberals stood and voted in favour of an additional $30.2 million to deal with immediate overcrowding and open two mothballed operating rooms. But today, they claim they’re already doing enough, and it sounds like they won’t be coming through with that money at all. We can’t let Wynne and the Liberals keep letting patients down like this.” Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath

Her move comes close on the heels of the Liberal government’s announcement last week that it would fund 31 new beds at Brampton Civic Hospital (BCH) to alleviate the issue of overcrowding.

Tuesday’s proceedings also included a private member’s motion by Liberal MPP Harinder Malhi (Brampton Springdale).

“While I’m sure that the people of Brampton will take the 31 beds, it’s just simply not enough to begin undoing the damage caused by years of Liberal budget cuts and freezes,” Horwath told the house. “But the recent announcement is also a disappointment to patients and families because it falls so far short of what’s needed to really end overcrowding at Brampton hospitals.”

Malhi — in whose riding the BCH is located — tabled a private member’s motion Tuesday (Nov. 14) calling on Minister of Health and Long-Term Care Eric Hoskins to recognize the needs of Brampton residents and continue working with the healthcare planners and hospital officials. Her motion will be debated, Thursday, Nov. 16.

Early this month, the NDP uncovered documents via a Freedom of Information (FOI) requests that revealed severe overcrowding at Peel Memorial and BCH.

“The Minister of Health and Long Term Care was warned in 2016 that the Peel Memorial Urgent Care Centre would see up to 65,000 visits annually, not the 42,626 visits planned for and funded,” the NDP leader pointed out. "That’s more than 50 per cent greater patient volume than was planned for. And as of July 2017, Peel Memorial was on track to exceed 65,000 patients.”