Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones makes an announcement on Jan. 16. Residents of Minden, Ont., have announced a plan to raise $100,000 in order to fund a legal challenge seeking an injunction and judicial review of a planned closure of their local emergency department.Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press
Residents of the central Ontario community of Minden are hoping the courts will side in their favour against the planned closing of a local emergency department.
Haliburton Highlands Health Services announced in April that the emergency room at its Minden hospital will close June 1.
All emergency services would be transferred to its Haliburton site, about 25 kilometres away.
A grassroots campaign called Save Minden ER aims to stop the closing.
The group has announced a plan to raise $100,000 in order to fund a legal challenge seeking an injunction and judicial review of the consolidation plan before it moves ahead.
Campaign spokesman Patrick Porzuczek said the plan means local residents would have to travel well out of the community to receive emergency services.
He said that could be catastrophic in a life-or-death situation.
The group has already raised $50,000 toward the legal challenge, which Mr. Porzuczek said demonstrates the urgency the community feels over the issue.
The health authority has said a shortage of nursing and medical staff is behind its decision.