'Deeply committed' to delivering PET scanning technology to northeast Ontario

Nickel Belt NDPMPP France Gelinasis concerned the provincial government is holding up theprocess to bring the positron emission tomography scanner tothe Sudbury community.

Gelinassaid she's been working for more than eightyears to bring a PET scanner to northeastern Ontario.

Initially, she worked alongside the late Sam Bruno to lobby the provincial government for the diagnostic equipment.

After Bruno's death in 2010,the community worked to raise the $4million needed to purchase the scanner for Health Sciences North.

• PET scanner delay raising concerns in Sudbury

• Sudbury hospital on track to install PET scanner by 2018

"News of more delay just adds to the disappointment towards this Premier and the government. How can the Premier defend another year of delay for us to get access to PET scanning technology?" Gelinasasked during Question Period at Queen's Park this week.

'Project is on track'

"The people of Sudbury and the surrounding area willnot have to wait much longer," Health and Long Term Care ErikHoskinsresponded.

"We're working with the hospital, the Bruno family, the community supports that are in place. This project is on track and will open as expected."

In an email to CBCNews, the Ministry of Health and Long term Care saidsome stages of the Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) capital planning process have been expedited for this project. All small and major hospital capital projects must follow this guideline.

The resulting timelines, relative to the hospital's proposed schedule are largely dependent on the quality and timelines of the hospital's submission and response to ministry comments at each stage, the email went on to say.

Priority project for government, Thibeault

Sudbury LiberalMPPGlennThibeaultsays the PET scanner project is a high-priority for the provincial government, and a personal one for him.

"We know the importance of making sure that this happens as quickly as possible and you know that's whywe made the commitment to the family.I made that commitment to Sam so long ago, and that's why I am always humbled to be able to say that I'm pleased to see a PET scanner coming to Sudbury."

Thibeaulttold CBCNews he frequently checks in with the Ministry of Health on the status of the capital project process for HSN'sPET scanner.

"They were very pleased to see where [HSNis] at and very confident that we can get the [request for proposal] out as quickly as possibly,to make sure that we can keep to having construction underway in 2018."

If the next stage is completed to the Ministry's approval,HSNsays it can begin construction on the special PET suite in this fiscal year, which ends March 31.

HSNsays construction is expected to take nine months.Sudbury and northeastern Ontario could be using the PET scanner by this time next year.

Sam's legacy

Currently patients in northeastern Ontario who needthis type of diagnostic scan must travel to hospitals in Toronto or Ottawa.

Thibeaultsaidhe is 'deeply committed' to delivering on Sam's legacy.

"Sam was able to rally this community to recognize that we needed a PET scanner."