

Chris Fox, CP24.com





The planned removal of pediatric and obstetric services from Scarborough’s Birchmount Hospital could impact the federal Conservatives chances in four different ridings in the area, a new poll has found.

The Scarborough Health Network board of directors voted earlier this year to move the maternity ward at Birchmount Hospital to Scarborough General Hospital and relocate its pediatric ward to Centenary Hospital.

The decision prompted widespread opposition from the community served by Birchmount Hospital, which spans four federal ridings (Scarborough Agincourt, Scarborough North, Markham Thornhill and Don Valley North).

According to an Environics Research poll that was conducted on behalf of several community groups in north Scarborough, the controversy may also be impacting the electoral chances of Federal Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer.

The poll of 961 residents in the four ridings impacted by the cuts found that 32 per cent of those who voted for the Ontario PC’s in the last election say they would be less likely to vote for the federal Conservatives in October’s election due to the issue.

About 53 per cent of undecided voters also said that they would be less likely to vote for Scheer’s Conservatives if the relocation of the services goes ahead.

“Many of my neighbours supported Ford, and lean conservative, but are outraged that the premier

continues to let this problem grow,” Denis Lanoue, the president of the Heathwood Ratepayers

Association, said in a press release accompanying the poll. “If this is what we got from electing a conservative member in our area, why would we do that again?”

The poll found that 87 per cent of all respondents oppose the relocation of services from Birchmount Hospital, including 76 per cent of those who plan to vote for the Conservatives in the upcoming federal election.

The poll also found that more than three quarters of respondents (78 per cent) want Premier Doug Ford to step in and stop the relocation of services from the hospital.

All four of the ridings surveyed are currently represented by Liberal MPs but are considered swing ridings for October’s election

The poll was conducted between Aug. 9-16 and is considered accurate to within 3.2 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.