Advocates in Port Colborne are urging residents to contact city council ahead of a provincial budget vote expected on April 3, 2026, as the community fights to protect local urgent care services. The campaign follows the release of the provincial budget on March 26, 2026, and seeks to address ongoing concerns regarding health care access in the region.
The Niagara Health Urgent Care Centre in Port Colborne has been operating on reduced hours, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, since July 5, 2023. These changes were initially implemented due to physician staffing shortages, and as of February 2026, it had been 866 days since Port Colborne and Fort Erie lost their after-hours urgent care services. With approximately 10,000 residents in Port Colborne currently without a family physician, and no local hospital or emergency room available, the facility remains a critical resource for the area.
The Port Colborne Health Coalition has been leading the push for restored 24/7 services, noting that nearly 3,000 residents have signed a petition calling for restoration of around-the-clock services. The coalition has also recommended exploring alternative service models, such as establishing an integrated health-care hub at the current site. They point out that 11 other urgent care centres across Ontario operate independently without hospital affiliations.
Local support for keeping the facility open is high, with Port Colborne City Council passing a resolution that cites a city-run survey showing 96 per cent of residents favour maintaining urgent care services. This advocacy comes as Niagara Health plans to close the urgent care facilities in Port Colborne and Fort Erie when the new South Niagara Hospital opens in the summer of 2028. As part of the broader hospital network planning, Port Colborne has been asked to contribute $6.2 million of the $72.5 million requested from six Niagara municipalities for the new hospital project.
Niagara Centre Member of Provincial Parliament Jeff Burch has brought these community concerns to the legislature, calling for clear answers regarding the future of essential health services for residents along the Lake Erie shore.
