The City of Port Colborne has launched a comprehensive public engagement campaign and is now collecting public feedback on the future of healthcare in Port Colborne.  

Niagara Health is working towards a three-hospital system, including a new hospital, known as the South Niagara Hospital, which is under construction in Niagara Falls and expected to open in 2028. 

When the South Niagara Hospital opens, Niagara Health will vacate its site in Port Colborne and will stop delivering healthcare services at the Port Colborne Urgent Care Centre currently located within the facility – expected in 2028. 

To prepare for this shift, an innovative partnership between the City of Port Colborne, Niagara Health and Lockview Medical Group has been proposed. This partnership would strengthen access to primary care in Port Colborne, while also contributing a $6.2-million local share to support the purchase of furniture, fixtures, and equipment at the South Niagara Hospital 

The proposed partnership is multi-phased and interconnected:  

  • The first phase would see the City of Port Colborne temporarily lease vacant space within the west wing of the Port Colborne site from Niagara Health and then sub-lease it to Lockview Medical Group.  

  • Lockview Medical Group would complete a small renovation and then build out a comprehensive primary care clinic, attracting new family physicians to Port Colborne, and offering expanded primary care services, as soon as this year.  

  • Once Niagara Health transitions out of the Port Colborne site in 2028, Niagara Health has agreed to transfer ownership of the site to the City for a nominal fee of $2 in return for the $6.2-million local share request supporting the South Niagara Hospital (if the final phase can be achieved).  

  • Finally, in order to fund the $6.2-million local share without a heavy burden on Port Colborne taxpayers, staff proposed that a developer be sought through a public process to develop the Niagara Health site in Port Colborne. This could include new multi-residential units, an all-new expanded medical clinic, and/or additional health and wellness offerings for the community.  

To gather feedback from the community regarding the proposal and learn more about what type of healthcare options residents in Port Colborne want, the City has launched a comprehensive public engagement plan to determine how to best proceed with the use of Niagara Health’s Port Colborne site and how to fund the contribution for the South Niagara Hospital.  

The feedback collected will help shape the future of healthcare in Port Colborne and residents are asked to share their ideas through any or all of the available engagement opportunities. These include:  

  1. Online survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PortHospital  
  2. Paper survey: A paper survey will be available at City Hall, the Vale Health & Wellness Centre, the Port Colborne Public Library, or select local healthcare facilities and other locations around the community.  
  3. In-person town hall: Join an in-person moderated town hall Q&A discussion to ask your questions to a live panel of key spokespeople at the Lighthouse Theatre in the Roselawn Centre.  
    • Monday, Feb. 24 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. 
  4. In-person open house: Drop in to talk to staff at one of two in-person open houses in the Golden Puck Room at the Vale Health & Wellness Centre 
    • Wednesday, Feb. 19from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
    • Thursday, Feb. 20 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
  5. Virtual town hall: Join a virtual moderated town hall Q&A discussion to ask your questions to an online panel of key spokespeople. Register in advance 
    • Friday, Feb. 21 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
  6. Pop-up engagements: City staff will be visiting key locations in the community to engage with residents in-person.  

The City will also be conducting small group discussions with various established committees, including the Mayor’s Healthcare Services Working Group, the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Committee, the Seniors Advisory Committee, and the Social Determinants of Health Committee.  

Residents are encouraged to provide their feedback by Feb. 21; however, the opportunity to provide feedback will remain open until April 30, 2025. Initial results from the public engagement initiatives will be brought back to City Council on March 25, 2025.