The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Flynn talks former OTMH site with JCRA at AGM by Nathan Howes Special to the Beaver 5 | Thursday, April 7, 2016 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com He may be Ontario's Labour minister, but it was health care that was top-of-mind for Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn last Thursday (March 31), when he was guest speaker at the Joshua Creek Residents' Association's (JCRA) annual general meeting. A keynote speaker at the gathering, held at Otello's Banquet and Convention Centre, Flynn's near 40-minute presentation tackled numerous inquiries from southeast Oakville residents. He primarily focused on the decommissioned Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital (OTMH) on Reynolds Street, the Local Health Integrated Network (LHIN) and concerns over family doctors relocating to north Oakville. Flynn noted he spoke with the MississaugaHalton LHIN that morning about the legacy OTMH property at 327 Reynolds St., which is now under Town ownership. Site demolition and remediation is expected to begin in late 2016 and take eight to 12 months. LHIN wants to "build what the community needs," Flynn said. "It's always been said that some form of unspecified health facility would remain on that site. It was always understood that even though the hospital would move, the need in the neighbourhood would not move," he continued. Flynn said there's been talk of the site being converted into a senior or urgent-care centre or a walk-in clinic, among other health facilities. "Once we get that need specified, what the demand in the area is, we're prepared to move on that. Certainly, we need to know ahead of time just what it's going to be," he said. "I'm prepared to do whatever it takes to make sure we get the health facility on that land that people want. All we really need to do is specify (the need)." The Oakville MPP explained the process of moving OTMH to Third Line and Dundas Street, and erecting the new building, to give people an idea of "how we got to where we are today." Typically, when a hospital moves to a new site, the previous locale is sold "more often than not" to a private company, Flynn said, but this isn't what happened in Oakville. "The Province owned the land between Third Line, Dundas, Hwy. 407, and Bronte Road. What it was able to do was give the 58 acres of land to the hospital. The hospital didn't have to sell the land it was on," said Flynn. Regarding family doctors, Flynn was told by the JCRA there is a shortage in the area because many of them are moving closer to the hospital. In "my experience," he said there are numerous physicians, particularly in Bronte where he resides, who opt not to locate near the hospital. "I think we can attract physicians back to the area," Flynn said. "I'm shocked there aren't any (here). If I were Ontario Labour Minister and Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn was the guest speaker at the Joshua Creek Ratepayers Association annual general meeting last week. | Nathan Howes - special to the Beaver a good, young doctor just out of med school, I would be looking to a neighbourhood like southeast Oakville to locate a practice." Air quality was also brought up because of the close proximity of the site of the proposed gas-fired power plant, cancelled by the Liberal provincial government in 2010. Flynn mentioned the Province's new cap-andtrade program on carbon emissions, which will start Jan. 1, 2017 and create limited, tradable allowances in the carbon market. "We're the first jurisdiction in the world to stop burning coal. We shut down our coal plants about a year ago. That's had a tremendous impact on childhood asthma... we've seen a decline," said Flynn. Following the Oakville MPP's presentation, a Q-and-A with Mayor Rob Burton, Ward 3 Town and Regional Councillor Dave Gittings and Ward 3 Town Councillor Nicholas Hutchins took place. They were asked about the Town's Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) treatment program, snow removal, DriveTest Centre, downtown businesses and excessive property signs, among other topics. Burton did take time to address the development of the Merton Lands and Glen Abbey Golf Course. He asked Flynn to take a message to Premier Kathleen Wynne on Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) reform. "The Premier just announced we should be happy because she's going to have a study (done). Our position is there have been enough studies. It's time for action. We would really like to see a shift from more study to more action," said Burton. The JCRA is open to those living between Maple Grove Drive and Winston Churchill Boulevard in the west, and from Cornwall Road to Lake Ontario in the east. For more information, visit http://joshuacreek. org. CONCEPT LIGHTING group We are the region's best lighting store - latest lighting designs at exclusive pricing! INJURED? I Can Help! YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY UNLESS I GET YOU MONEY My team of experienced lawyers can help you with: · Car accidents · Slip and Falls · Disability Claims (Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, CPP) · Wrongful Dismissal OFFICES IN OAKVILLE AND TORONTO For a free consultation call: Oakville: 905.842.2022 or Toronto: 416.351.9222 email: sspadafora@slspc.ca PLATINUM Outdoor Lighting Sale. Take an additional entire store 20%off on sale monThs Take 24 no downpayment no interest* *Some conditions apply. See store for details. To pay Oakville 243 Speers Road 905.849.LITE(5483) Visit our website to see our fall & winter catalogue Burlington 1515 N. Service Road 905.331.7444 Between Guelph Line & Brant Street Mississauga 5980 McLaughlin Rd. #3 905.712.4548 Sam Spadafora Injury and Employment Law w w w. c o n c e p t l i g h t i n g . c a