I first met Minister Bartolucci on Nov. 12, 2008 in response to our initial ALC crisis as part of a physician delegation on behalf of the medical staff of Sudbury Regional Hospital. I have been meeting with him ever since.

He told us that he wanted to help, but first needed solutions.
He recommended that we establish a steering group ASAP, comprising key health care and community partners and to ask the North East Local Health Integration Network to co-lead the steering group with us.

On Nov. 20 of that year, he announced that the province would fund 24 interim beds as a temporary solution for the hospital’s bed crisis. We held our first ALC steering group meeting Jan. 12, 2009.

Mr. Bartolucci’s advocacy made it possible to keep the Sudbury Memorial site open to house ALC patients from early 2010 until now.

He helped secure vital funding for construction of St Gabriel’s long-term-care home in Chelmsford and the Finlandia expansion, our first new supportive housing units in Sudbury.

This is only a partial list. But it illustrates how he has made a big difference in the health care that we can provide to Sudburians.

I am going to miss his enthusiasm, his energy and his commitment.

Dr. Peter Zalan
Greater Sudbury