To The Editors,
Recently The Press published a full-page advertisement promoting the proposed Nanticoke redevelopment plan. There are many questions that must be asked as this project proceeds through the approval process.
Will Empire be donating the land needed to provide essential local services such as schools, libraries, fire, and police facilities? Will the funds needed to build these critical support facilities come only from this project’s development fees, or will the current taxpayers of Haldimand County be expected to pick up the tab? Who will pay for the new roads, sewers, sidewalks, and other necessary infrastructure?
More importantly, what will be the impact on our local healthcare system? The proposal calls for the population of our county to almost double and will our two already strained hospitals be able to cope with such an increase in demand? Most likely not, so the question becomes who will pay for the construction of a new hospital? Will the current Ontario government be willing to commit hundreds of millions of dollars to build a new hospital? Or will residents be expected to travel to Hagersville, Dunnville, or Simcoe for basic or emergency medical services?
Taxpayers deserve to know the full impact of such a large project on personal finances, as well as on Haldimand County’s budget.
Al Elliott,
Dunnville
