Mayor Patrick Brown won’t “play politics” with new hospital, grateful for $1 billion investment for health care in Brampton

While some Brampton residents believe the proposed second hospital in Flower City won’t be enough to address the City’s health-care needs, Mayor Patrick Brown believes it’s a good start.

“Will it solve our health-care woes? Will it catch up with our health-care system’s lack of funding? No. but is it significant progress? Absolutely,” Brown said during a press conference on Wednesday (November 10).

Brown also acknowledged the fact that health care in Brampton has been neglected for quite some time.

“Brampton got nothing for two decades—for 20 years we were ignored despite having institutionalized hallway medicine,” he said. “Frankly, this should have been done 15 years ago.”

The hospital, which will be more than $1 billion, will be the biggest investment in health care in Brampton’s history.

“We’re getting $1 billion, the largest investment in health care in our City’s history,” he said. “This is a significant step forward, this is progress, and I don’t think there is any mayor in Canada that would not be elated with a $1 billion investment in their community.”

The proposal for the new hospital, which will be an upgrade of what is currently the Peel Memorial Centre, will have 250 beds and a 24/hour emergency department open seven days per week.

Construction is expected to start in 2023, meaning it’s still going to be several years before the hospital is up and running, and serving the community.

However, Brown is already looking forward to the next investment in health care in Brampton.

“Soon we’re going to need to get working on a third hospital, and get that planning grant in the northwest quadrant of the city,” he said.