Delegation request turns into call for report on need for doctors

Amherstburg delegations requests doctors report at council meeting on January 19, 2026.

A request by a resident to speak resulted in town council requesting a report on the number of physicians in Amherstburg and the ability to attract more.

Amherstburg town council will be requesting a report from administration on the issue, likely to come back in February. Councillor Diane Pouget made a motion that local resident Lynn Sinasac be allowed to address council regarding a doctor shortage, but while that didn’t proceed Monday night, the report requested will.

Pouget’s request for Sinasac to speak Monday night did not go forward as it did not have unanimous consent, a requirement of the town’s procedural bylaw. Pouget said “time is of the essence” to deal with the matter, but would withdraw the motion allowing for the delegation to proceed and replace it with one requesting a report. 

With a report on the matter on a future agenda, the procedural bylaw allows delegates to speak on the matter.

Mayor Michael Prue believed it may be more advantageous to get a report back as it could lead “to a more robust discussion from the people of the town.”

Councillor Peter Courtney believed having a discussion Monday night without a report and other delegates would be doing “a disservice” to the issue. He said he understands the importance of the issue, and wanted it “in a bigger spotlight.”  By putting a report forward, Courtney believes it allows time for the issue to be circulated better, stating “it gives the RTT time to say ‘we’ve got a big ticket item coming that’s of importance to our entire community.’”

By bringing the matter up under new business and having one delegate speak to the matter would cause the discussion “to lose some of its steam.”

“I think a report coming back tonight would be beneficial,” he said. “I totally understand the importance of this. Time is of the essence but time has been of the essence for many, many years. Residents have not been able to have a family physician. This totally needs to be brought to the forefront and in a bigger spotlight.”Courtney said he wanted to hear from Sinasac and others who wished to speak when a report on the matter is on an agenda.

“We need a report to understand what we can do as a municipality to draw the attention to get doctors to come to our area,” said Courtney.

Councillor Linden Crain recalled a similar report being brought back to town council in the past, with deputy CAO/director of development services Melissa Osborne confirming that. She said Amherstburg representatives addressed the matter with the Minister of Health at an Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) conference a few years ago.

“It is very much a provincial matter as it relates to the health care system and what they are doing,” said Osborne.

Osborne said part of the report would be costs to the town “in order to essentially subsidize what the province should be providing.” Crain said he will try to remain optimistic but recalled joining Deputy Mayor Chris Gibb, Councillor Molly Allaire, Osborne and CAO Valerie Critchley in meeting with Minister Sylvia Jones at that prior AMO conference and not much has come of it.

“We went right to the top and that’s where things left off,” said Crain. “But it is an important issue and I’m happy to have it come before council to discuss what we can do.”

Courtney added “this is not a Windsor-Essex problem, it’s a country-wide problem.” He said provincial funding needs to happen and said ambulances are often not available due to residents having to call for one to address their health care needs.

“We have problems. I think it needs to go to the forefront,” said Courtney.

The town should “take care of its own,” he added, “but this is something bigger than us.”

“I don’t know how this problem gets solves but it is a legitimate problem,” said Courtney.

Prue said he agreed with getting a report, as the wider it goes out to the people of Amherstburg, council will gain more insight on what people expect.

“We have not just been sitting back waiting to see what is going to happen,” said Prue. “The deputy CAO has met with several groups in the last year who have wanted to come to Amherstburg to provide additional medical care but they all wanted significant funds from the taxpayers of Amherstburg to do it. If we are going to have that discussion, I want to hear from people whether you want two-tier medicine and if you expect the municipality to pay the balance in order to have that two-tier medicine. I’m not sure many people would want that, but some might, and I want to hear from them.”

The mayor asked Osborne to bring forward information on the groups she met with and the money that was requested of the town to locate in town.

“It was not inexpensive,” said Prue. “It just didn’t go very far.”Pouget said she was not aware Osborne was meeting with groups interested in relocating to Amherstburg but said she hoped it would come to town council so elected officials could make those determinations. She added hospitals and emergency rooms are overloaded with patients with no family doctors with those people having no other options to seek the health care they need.

“Our EMS are often overburdened for the same reason,” she said.

Some local doctors have either left or reduced their hours, Pouget added, and several doctors are nearing retirement.

“I don’t want any doctor to think I am criticizing them in any way, shape or form. I’m so appreciative of all our doctors and nurse practitioners. It’s just that we’re going into another phase. I know it’s right across the province that we’re experiencing a doctor shortage but we have to look out for our own. It’s very important we get this report as quickly as possible,” said Pouget.

Delegation request turns into call for report on need for doctors

By Ron Giofu