More doctors are coming to Belleville.
Mayor Neil Ellis said Karen Poste, Manager of Physician Recruitment and Retention, is set to make “a super announcement” at the next council meeting on Aug. 25.
The mayor’s comments come as he and a delegation get set to head to the Association of Municipalities of Ontario annual conference in Ottawa on Sunday, with doctor recruitment top of mind.
They will be sitting down with the Ontario Medical Association’s executive team to discuss doctor recruitment.
“Our conversation there is how do we pressure the province to get back into recruiting doctors,” he said. “We have spent over $8 million. We have been successful with about 55 doctors.”
He credited Poste with recruiting 16 of those this year and said she will be making another announcement at the next council meeting.
“But it’s at a cost and it’s a provincial issue. But as far as our council is concerned if it affects our community we have to do something about it.”
The Belleville delegation will also be sitting down with Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security Nolan Quinn.
The main focus will be on a lack of renewed operational funding for Loyalist College that led to cuts in student enrolment, courses and staff.
“With the loss of foreign students, cutting classes and running at a huge deficit this year, they are in financial struggle. They have laid off many people. I just want to say how important Loyalist is to our community.”
He added, “they work with the City so much” and “they have really helped us.”
Quinte West and Prince Edward County officials also have meetings set up to address doctor shortages in their municipalities.
