(Orillia) – The McGuinty government’s announcement that it will close the Huronia Regional Centre (HRC) by March 31, 2009 without a clear plan could lower the quality of life for many of the facility’s residents and cause economic hardship for the Orillia community, Simcoe North MPP Garfield Dunlop warned today.

“The reality is that many of HRC’s 350 residents are seniors with very complex needs that cannot be met in a regular group home setting,” said Dunlop. “For example, some are both developmentally disabled and mentally ill, while others have severe behavioural problems. I fear that there will be nowhere suitable for HRC’s residents to live in dignity if the facility is closed.”

Apart from the harsh impact on residents and their families, the closure of HRC would also deliver a crushing blow to the Orillia economy. HRC employs over 700 front-line staff and managers, accounting for about five percent of all jobs in Orillia. If these 700 people lose their jobs, the Orillia community would then lose the economic spin-offs, leading to the disappearance of even more jobs from the private sector.

“Today’s announcement lacks a clear and specific plan to accommodate HRC’s residents and to help the Orillia community overcome the loss of a major employer,” said Dunlop. “As MPP for Simcoe North, I must continue working to protect these vulnerable people and the jobs of those who care for them.”

If local efforts to keep HRC open ‘as is’ are unsuccessful, Dunlop intends to work with the community to designate HRC (or a new facility constructed on its grounds) as the one and only long-term care facility in Ontario for aged people with developmental disabilities who require highly specialized care that cannot be provided in a community setting.

Contacts:
Garfield Dunlop
(705) 327-4500 (cell)