Perth-Wellington MPP Randy Pettapiece hand-delivered a stack of petitions to the office of the minister of health and long-term care on Wednesday.
With over 3,500 signatures, the petitions concern the closure of Hillside Manor near Stratford and proposed transfer of long-term care beds out of the community. Pettapiece also delivered dozens of emails and letters he received from area residents.
Since the closure of Hillside Manor was announced in April, Pettapiece raised the issue in the legislature and wrote many times to the minister. He also successfully called on the government to hold a second public meeting in evening hours so that more people could attend.
That meeting date has not yet been announced, but Pettapiece says it's likely going to be in late September or early October. The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care is required to provide 30 days notice for a meeting.
"At the first meeting, people were loud and clear: long-term care beds must stay in Perth-Wellington," noted Pettapiece. "I’m hopeful the government is finally waking up to the reality that our area needs more investment in long-term care – not cuts to bed numbers."
Pettapiece urged constituents to continue signing petitions.
Copies are available on his website. Constituents can also pick up copies at his office, or call 1-800-461-9701 to have a petition mailed to them.
Completed petitions can be returned in their original form to Pettapiece’s constituency office: 55 Lorne Ave. E, Unit 2, Stratford, Ontario, N5A 6S4.
Pettapiece plans to introduce all petitions in the legislature when the session resumes next month.