Charlottetown bylaw change will let mental health campus move forward

Charlottetown metropolis council amended its zoning and progress bylaw Wednesday to make it possible for for a design and style transform at the province’s new psychological health and fitness campus.

The modify will allow the province to shift the parking whole lot of the planned mental wellbeing campus by the Queen Elizabeth Medical center from the south facet to the north aspect. Mayor Philip Brown reported the town is satisfied to do what it can to help the project, which is to replace the Hillsborough Clinic.

“If you have been out to Hillsborough Hospital. It’s an old medical center, its use has gone prolonged overdue,” reported Brown.

“It is an important part of psychological health, drug habit, misuse of alcohol, all the areas that we are working with in our community and the increased group, all of Prince Edward Island.”

The mental well being campus will go over about 32 hectares. Two lesser buildings have now opened, dealing with transition packages and women’s restoration systems. Hillsborough Medical center will be replaced with a new 64-bed making.

The metropolis had presently voted to amend principles all over the growth location of the residence, but a different vote was needed for this style and design transform. That vote was preceded by a review by planning board and a community session.

“It can be a major approach and it has been talked about since the final govt,” explained Brown.

“This government is basically placing boots on the floor, shovels in the floor to forward this task to advancement. This modification was just to transfer the parking lot from one particular facet to the other.”

In October officers with Overall health P.E.I. mentioned 150 positions will will need to be crammed on the new mental health campus.

Brown is confident the campus will appeal to those people staff.

“It will appeal to individuals mainly because of what we have to give right here. A risk-free, great position to reside, get the job done, participate in and raise a household,” he reported.

“We are desperately needing this substitute of the Hillsborough Medical center and all the prolonged companies that will be provided by this mental overall health acute treatment campus.”

Proof of the require for the campus can be viewed in products and services the town provides, reported Brown.

“Our law enforcement officers, they see this every working day,” he reported.

“Psychological health and fitness requirements more expert services, it desires a lot more means, human sources, it requirements additional funding. This is a stage in the proper direction.”

Phone calls for psychological health and fitness-linked incidents are up for police companies on Prince Edward Island. Back in June, Charlottetown Police Companies reported it experienced 1,918 mental health and fitness connected phone calls in 2022, compared to 686 in 2018.

Brown hopes a mental well being campus is an additional resource for those people in the city.

In Oct, officers with the province explained they really don’t be expecting the campus to be accomplished until 2027.