Kingston - On Saturday April 13, 9,885 people voted at 55 polling stations spread from Sharbot Lake to Gananoque to Amhertsview in a community referendum on whether the region’s new hospital should be a public non-profit hospital or a P3 for-profit hospital. 96% voted in favour of keeping the new hospital public and non-profit.
The results were released this morning by the Vote Monitors: Barb Linds, James Leake and Susan Shaw. The results were: total votes, 9,885; 9,492 voted in favour of the proposition that “the new Kingston hospital should be publicly funded with 100% non-profit ownership, operation, administration and maintenance; 250 voted against and there were 143 spoilt ballots.
“It was a great day for Kingston and Area residents and for local democracy, “said Ross Sutherland, Chair of the Kingston Health Coalition. “Almost 10,000 people braved the cold, rain and wind to vote at 55 polling stations staffed by 180 volunteers to keep their new hospital public and non-profit.”
“ Voters were knowledgeable about P3 hospitals and wanted the government to pay attention to the community’s desire for a public non-profit hospital without the expensive private financing and long term contracts with for-profit multinationals. Many of the voters thanked the volunteers for giving them a voice on this important decision. The results are clear: Kingston and area residents want the government to drop the long term for-profit financing, maintenance and facility management contracts from the new hospital plans.”
Sutherland thanked all those who worked on the campaign, all the business and organizations that permitted the voting on their premises and all the residents who took the time to vote.
“The Health Coalition will be taking these results to Queen’s Park to increase the pressure on the government to make the financially responsible decision, the decision that improves health care and the one that respects the wishes of Kingston and area residents.”
For more information contact:
Ross Sutherland,
613-532-7846,
613-374-5211,
