Ford thanks Curle for land

Donation of 48 acres started hospital plan going

Premier Doug Ford welcomes Jim Curle to become part of the celebrations.

Local farmer and philanthropist Jim Curle made his debut as an actor in political theatre on Thursday.

Curle wasn’t expecting to play a public role and wasn’t part of the script, when he attended Premier Doug Ford’s appearance in front of Campbellford Memorial Hospital about 11 a.m.

But early on Curle was identified as the man who was donating 48 acres of his farmland for the new Campus of Care and Ford quickly invited him in front of the assembled cameras, even though there was no name board on the ground indicating Curle should be there.

“He told me to come stand beside him,” Curle said in an interview later.

“Thank you, Jim, for your donation,” Ford said.

Ford was on hand to officially announce his government’s $2.5 million planning grant that starts the process that will eventually lead to a new $450 million hospital on what is now Curle’s property.

Curle said that he became a member of the hospital foundation’s donor wall about a decade ago and over the years had been asked whether he would donate land for a new facility. “So, I wasn’t surprised when Eric (Hanna) called me three years ago. I knew why he was calling.”

Hanna was interim CEO of the hospital, and he helped pull the elements together to turn the community’s wish for a new hospital into a firm plan that could be pitched to the ministry of health and political leaders.

In 2022 Hanna and Curle reached a handshake agreement and Curle announced he would donate the land for the Campus of Care. But as time went by and the province dragged its feet on announcing approval, he stood firm that he wouldn’t actually transfer the land until a planning grant had been made.

Now, his lawyers will be drawing up the official transfer. The land will need to be severed from the Curle farm and rezoned to permit a hospital.

The land is currently undergoing tests by archeologists to determine whether there are any concerns, he said.

Curle said he expects to transfer about seven acres soon because it will be used for a new long-term care home owned by Omni Quality Living, replacing the existing Burnbrae Gardens home with a much larger, modern facility. That facility can be built much quicker than the hospital, which will take about seven years, says hospital CEO Jeff Hohenkerk.

Ford touted the persistence of MPP David Piccini who constantly pushed the Premier to approve a new hospital here.

“He’s been on me every single day for eight years,” Ford said.

In his remarks, Piccini said that when he first campaigned in 2018, he was told that a new hospital was a key issue in this area. Again during the recent provincial election, he said he frequently faced tough questions on the doorsteps in this area over a lack of approval for the facility. He also noted that he was constantly peppered with texts from John Russell, CEO of the hospital foundation.

Russell will be a key player as the community needs to raise about $80 million for our share of the project. As I noted in an earlier story, the province only pays 90 per cent of the cost of a new structure and pays nothing toward equipment and furnishings, that money must be raised by local donors.

Ford said his government is going to spend $60 billion on 50 new hospitals and expansions across the province. The total is large, but a recent report noted that Ontario’s per capita spending on hospitals remains at the bottom of all provinces and territories.

The investment in hospitals is part of the government's efforts to counteract Trump’s tariffs and other economic uncertainty, he added.

Ford interrupted his speech to comment on Trent Hills Councillor Gene Brahaney’s ball cap which was emblazoned with Canada is Not For Sale. “We should all get those hats,” Ford said.

The Premier didn’t take any questions. If he had, I had two: Will his government help the municipality pay the cost of extending sewer and water services out to the Campus of Care?

And since he’s trying to get infrastructure projects under way: Will he support the county’s request for a grant to start construction the second bridge across the Trent River in Campbellford? A recent application was denied and the county hopes to ask again. Maybe they can get an answer.

Ford flanked by Jim Curle and David Piccini, meeting staff, Gene Brahaney and his cap, CMH Board Chair Carrie Hayward

You can read all Trent Hills News stories on my website here.