By Mike Anderson
Southlake Health is seeking a private-sector partner, either a developer or a landowner, to help build an Advanced Care Centre in Georgina, releasing a Request for Expression of Interest (RFEI) on May 1.
According to the RFEI, which closes on May 22, Southlake Health will be an anchor tenant, leasing space in the new facility to provide a range of health care services to residents, including primary care, diagnostics, and specialized clinics.
The RFEI delivers on a pledge made nearly two years ago, following Southlake Health’s signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Northern York South Simcoe Ontario Health Team (NYSS OHT) and the Town of Georgina to open a healthcare facility in Georgina.
The official announcement was made by Dr. Paul Woods, president and CEO of Southlake Health, at the Civic Centre on May 1, with Mayor Quirk and MPP Caroline Mulroney also making remarks.
It follows on the heels of another major healthcare announcement made last month by Premier Doug Ford, awarding Southlake’s new hospital to the Town of East Gwillimbury, and confirming $10 million in provincial funding for initial planning and design work.
The new hospital will be built northwest of Queensville Sideroad and Leslie Street, approximately a 15-20 minute drive from Keswick. Georgina, along with Bradford, was also in the running for the new hospital, but was not selected.
Dr. Woods says that while Georgina did not get the new hospital, it’s just down the road, and the new Advanced Care Clinic will be operating long before it opens.
“Waiting for a hospital to open is not a good strategy,” Dr. Woods said. “We selected Georgina for our first focused intervention because we know that access to services is poor here.”
“So providing those high-level services close to home feels like it’s the morally right thing to do and will be reflected in better experiences and better care outcomes for people served here. And it will also reduce pressure on Southlake and the new hospital that we now have down the road.”
“Heart attacks, strokes, and major traumas still have to go to the Southlake first, and 10 years from now, the second hospital. But lower acuity things, like minor fractures or pneumonia, could actually be seen after a five to 10 minute drive for people in Georgina as opposed to driving into Newmarket or into East Gwillimbury.”
Still, according to Dr. Woods, details about the new facilities’ location, budget and a timetable for construction are yet to be determined.
“It’s hard, actually, to know the timeline in a specific sense. The Request For Expression of Interest is general at this time,” Dr. Woods said. “But we would hope that within two to three years we would have a functioning response to the needs of Georgina.”
Mayor Margaret Quirk, although disappointed that Georgina lost out to East Gwillimbury for Southlake’s second hospital, is confident that Southlake Health will find a suitable partner and the Advanced Care Centre will get built.
“This is critically important for Georgina residents in bringing healthcare closer to home, being able to have a healthcare facility, whether it’s diagnostics, primary care, or ambulatory. This healthcare facility is crucial for the overall health and well-being of our community as we grow and age,” Mayor Quirk said.
“We are extremely confident that there are developers out there who want to partner with Southlake on bringing an Advanced Care Centre to Georgina. So, stay tuned, and we’ll see what the expression of interest generates.”
At least one potential partner has already made its interest public.
Health Georgina, a community-based, non-profit focused on improving residents’ access to primary care and wellness services, is currently working on an expression of interest with Dr. Paul Saad, who owns the Georgina Grace Family and Walk-In Centre on Dalton Rd.
According to Health Georgina Chair Steve Jacobson, Dr. Saad has purchased five acres of land in a prime location in Sutton and was already planning to build a large medical facility there.
Jacobson says they met recently with Southlake and Town staff to discuss Sutton as a possible location for the clinic.
“We made the case that this opportunity is ideal for Georgina as the site is central to the municipality, making it convenient for everyone. We pointed out that since the new hospital is literally 10 minutes from Keswick, building an Advanced Care Centre in Keswick as well is not the best option,” Jacobson posted on Health Georgina’s FB page on May 9.
According to Derek Rowlands, Southlake’s chief media spokesperson, Southlake Health will provide the community with another update, including next steps and timelines, later this year, but that will depend on the results of the RFEI, which closes at the end of the month.
In the meantime, fundraising for the Georgina Advanced Care Centre will be spearheaded by The Southlake Foundation, with assistance from Ward 3 Councillor Dave Neeson.
“While today marks an important step forward, it is not the finish line. There is more to come, and I remain committed to advancing philanthropic efforts and working with our partners to continue building the healthcare capacity our growing community needs,” Neeson said in a media release. “This is about delivering results—not just for today, but for the future—and ensuring our residents have access to the care they deserve.”
